April 01, 2025

Neo-Nazis Return to Russian Streets


Neo-Nazis Return to Russian Streets
Participants of a neo-Nazi organization in St. Petersburg in 2014.
  Ain92, Wikimedia Commons.

Far-right groups in Russia have grown increasingly active amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, according to independent outlet Replika.

Experts describe an unprecedented rise in street violence, including attacks involving weapons. Attackers frequently post videos of their violence against migrants, unhoused persons, and LGBTQ+ people on Telegram channels.

The Sova Information and Analysis Center reported that 265 people were victims of ideologically motivated violence in Russia in 2024, including one fatality. Researchers noted these figures are comparable to those from 2011, marking a notable spike in far-right violence not seen in more than a decade.

In an interview with Replika, Alexander Verkhovsky, director of Sova, described the increase as "unprecedented," but noted it remains below the peak violence seen in 2007-2008, when approximately 100 people were killed annually in hate crimes involving some 600 perpetrators per year.

Sova’s statistics, however, do not include minor crimes causing minimal damage. Analysts from the Nazi Video Monitoring Project (NVMP) adopt a broader approach, tracking all far-right attacks posted on Telegram. Their count includes not only physical assaults, but also incidents like vandalizing vehicles with license plates from Caucasian republics or smashing windows of kiosks staffed by individuals perceived as non-Slavic. NVMP documented over 1,000 hate-motivated incidents in 2024.

Gennady, an NVMP researcher, said the project was initiated in 2023 due to a notable surge in far-right activity shared via Telegram: "These attacks were not extremely severe initially, but we recognized that quantity would eventually evolve into quality."

Sova confirms attacks have become increasingly violent, highlighting a shift from frequent minor assaults to fewer but more severe beatings, including, in early 2024, using hammers and brass knuckles.

Both experts and a victim interviewed by Replika emphasize that contemporary far-right street violence is primarily perpetrated by youths, often aged 13-14, imitating neo-Nazis from the early 2000s. They copy their predecessors' styles and practices, including attacks timed to symbolic dates, such as Adolf Hitler’s birthday or commemorations of deceased Russian neo-Nazi figures.

The shift to Telegram is noted as characteristic of the "new generation" of Russian far-right activists, partially explaining their radicalization and revival of early-2000s skinhead culture. Gennady from NVMP pointed out that Telegram hosts channels memorializing past neo-Nazi figures and channels preparing new recruits by offering advice on attacks and weapon use. Anonymous channels also exist for sharing the outcomes of attacks.

Due to Telegram’s lack of moderation and age restrictions, adolescents as young as 12 or 13 can easily join these far-right channels, view attack videos, and contribute content themselves.

Verkhovsky notes the connection between far-right Telegram activity and the ongoing war in Ukraine, arguing aggressive war propaganda has normalized violence among youth: "Aggressive war propaganda creates the perception among young people that violence is now an acceptable tool."

NVMP highlights another factor: since the start of the war, pro-government nationalist groups have gained significant influence due to their active support of war propaganda, greatly expanding their Telegram audience.

Yet experts observe mixed attitudes within Russia's far-right toward the war. Some groups actively support or participate in the invasion, while others oppose the invasion and the Russian government.

Combating the rising neo-Nazi violence poses significant challenges, as not all attacks result in police investigations or prosecutions. NVMP noted a slight increase in arrests following high-profile incidents. Telegram channel administrators promoting violence and neo-Nazi propaganda pose particular difficulties due to their anonymity.

Verkhovsky suggests infiltration and recruitment as potential strategies against far-right violence but anticipates it could take several years for Russian law enforcement to address the current wave effectively.

You Might Also Like

Artists in Custody
  • March 25, 2025

Artists in Custody

Russia currently has 42 "cultural" figures who are political prisoners and another 176 on their way to becoming the same.
Three Years, 95,000 Dead
  • February 23, 2025

Three Years, 95,000 Dead

Three years after the start of Russia's War on Ukraine, more than 95,000 Russian troops have died.
Searching for Nazis
  • June 05, 2022

Searching for Nazis

Putin says he invaded Ukraine to root out Nazis. Zelensky compares the defense of Ukraine to the heroism of the 1940s. Can both be right? No. No, they can't.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955