Why Russian Ultra-nationalists Are Fighting on the Side of Ukraine

For some years, Russian ultra-nationalists have been fighting in Eastern Ukraine - on both sides. And while the motivations of those who join Russian soldiers and pro-Russian rebels are easy to see, one would be surprised to see the same contingent fighting on the other side of the front line.

This piece explores the stories of those who joined the Ukrainian side, and are now fighting against the proxy military forces sustained by their own government. It delves into the complicated relationship between Putin's government and the far-right - a relationship that can be described as flirtation gone wrong. If in the early 2000s the nationalists felt protected and almost endorsed by the government, in the last years they are facing a crackdown, with most prominent leaders imprisoned. The reason for such a change of tack is their level of organization: well-organized neo-nazis seemed dangerous to the Kremlin. 

Having grown up in Moscow in the 2000s, I remember the popularity of nationalism, which felt so new at the time. The path into it often let not just through football hooliganism, but, just like for this story's protagonist, through punk and metal subcultures, and, for some, through pagan religion and historical literature. It all felt like a rediscovery of one's own roots (something that was off-limits for decades before), and a search for community tied by blood, which felt like so much more than a shared hobby, or values. For many,  it provided the kind of belonging they never experienced before. This kind of identity search, together with the glorification of war, so typical for today's Russian culture, could not fail but produce the kind of person described in this story.