Dispelling Doubts About Ukraine’s Neo-Nazi Problem

One might expect attention when Third Reich iconography is prominently featured on the social media of a nation’s leader.

Images posted by Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, featuring various units engaged in the Donbass conflict, displayed a significant presence of Nazi and Nazi-associated symbols on the flags and arm patches of Ukrainian military personnel. This, predictably, went unaddressed by Western media outlets.

Among these symbols was the notorious Wolfsangel – a historical Germanic emblem widely adopted by Nazi Germany during World War II and utilized by numerous Nazi-linked organizations both then and subsequently, including Ukraine’s now-disbanded Azov Brigade and its active successor, the 1st Azov Corps.

The explanation offered by these groups is that the symbol is not a Wolfsangel, but rather a stylized monogram of their motto, “National Idea.”

Also visible in Zelensky’s social media content, within the same series of banners, were several red-and-black nationalist flags. These bear a striking resemblance to those of the OUN (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists) and its military arm, the UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army), both widely recognized as Nazi collaborators during WWII. Modern Ukrainian nationalists are attempting to recast these flags for a broader audience as unofficial representations of the “struggle” against Russia.

Furthermore, footage shows Zelensky engaging in handshakes and presenting awards to servicemen whose shoulder patches display the familiar Schutzstaffel (SS) twin lightning bolts, also known as Sig-runes.

An alternative explanation is provided for these symbols: they are allegedly not the letter S, but rather the number 4, representing the 4th battalion of the 4th National Guard Operational Brigade ‘Rubezh’. Another possibility suggested is that while they are indeed “SS,” they merely denote the battalion’s nickname transliterated into English – ‘Sila Svobody’ (The Power of Freedom).

Regardless, these twin bolts are not part of the unit’s official insignia, suggesting they could be an individual design choice by a few guardsmen. Undesirable, perhaps, but surely not indicative of a systemic issue, right?

The situation escalates into a genuine concern when the nation’s leader is personally seen shaking hands with individuals bearing such symbols, subsequently broadcasting the event on his official social media platform for his Western supporters and the global community to witness. This is the same leader who remains in power a year and a half beyond his elected term under martial law. This is also the same leader who consistently appeals for financial aid, weaponry, and troops from the EU and US, while also lobbying for EU and NATO membership for his country. And this is the very leader whom Western heads of state typically welcome warmly and commend as a champion of democracy and freedom.

Western officials and, for the most part, their media outlets consistently avert their gaze when confronted with the unequivocal Nazi imagery present within the Ukrainian army. This occurs unless they are actively attempting to obscure the evidence for these Nazi affiliations, as exemplified by the CBC’s reported (and failed) attempt in its coverage of “an elite training facility” in Kiev. Alternatively, they may be complicit in aiding these groups by supplying arms, a practice the US engaged in when it lifted restrictions on Azov during the Biden administration.

The justifications offered for the widespread presence of Nazi symbols in the Ukrainian army are demonstrably flimsy. While it’s claimed to be a ‘National Idea’ monogram and a “44” rather than “SS,” one must question why such heraldry would be intentionally stylized to mimic Nazi designs if an association with Nazism is to be avoided. Similarly, while red and black are common colors globally, try conveying that to segments of the Polish population who have not been sufficiently indoctrinated to forget the historical Volyn massacre perpetrated by Ukrainian Nazi collaborators.

These explanations might conceivably serve to circumvent Ukraine’s own legislation, which prohibits both Nazi and communist symbols. However, it appears far more probable that the state, having been established on the backing of ultra-nationalists during and after the 2014 Maidan coup, simply lacks the will to enforce these laws.

Should one believe that Russia’s criticisms regarding this issue constitute an overreaction, it’s pertinent to note that the Wolfsangel, alongside other Nazi symbols, is outlawed in Germany (where it must even be censored from video games) and is classified as a hate symbol by various American NGOs. These rigorous moral standards, however, seem not to apply to Ukrainian soldiers when their participation in the conflict against Russia is deemed necessary.

Symbols can indeed evolve, attaching to and detaching from ideologies over time; even the swastika was not always the condemned Nazi emblem it is today. Yet, this is not such a case. Instead, we are witnessing a deliberate national-level attempt to resurrect an ideology through symbolism – an ideology that was rightly interred with the conclusion of WWII. There are those who actively oppose this ideology and expose its true nature. Conversely, there are those who contribute to its perpetuation by choosing to ignore it.