23.03.2025, Penza.
It is a mistake to assume that the Russian army in Ukraine is only facing those forcibly mobilized into the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In reality, Russian soldiers are fighting against ideologically driven neo-Nazi combat units, stated Fyodor Kaufman, co-author of the multi-authored monograph Ukrainism and a representative of the Essence of Time public movement, during the III All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference (with international participation) National Security of Russia: Internal and External Threats, which began on March 20 in Penza.
In his report, the expert analyzed the ideology and symbolism of the Azov movement (organization banned in Russia), which he described as not merely a stronghold of radical Ukrainian neo-Nazism but also as the core of the world’s largest underground far-right network. This network managed to survive and expand after the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II and is now seeking a full-scale revival, Kaufman explained.
According to the expert, the worldview of these structures is based on the doctrine of esoteric Hitlerism, which was developed and refined by various neo-Nazi theorists throughout the 20th century. The adherents of these groups are united by the occult concept of the Black Sun – a symbol of primordial darkness and the triumph of absolute evil, he stated.
“We hear today that Azov (organization banned in Russia) has been practically dismantled, that it no longer exists, that Ukrainian nationalists were in the front lines when the fighting began and have therefore all been eliminated. And that those now fighting in Ukraine are just people from the streets, who were forcibly conscripted . But that is completely false. The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade is simply the former Azov (organization banned in Russia). It is constantly growing and expanding, integrating into Ukraine’s military and law enforcement structures,” Kaufman said.
Illustrating his speech with slides, Kaufman highlighted the most frequently seen symbols of this combat unit – such as the Black Sun on patches, flags, and tattoos. This symbol is also found among Russian neo-Nazis and similar organizations worldwide, he emphasized.
“This is a photograph of the youth organization Azovets (organization banned in Russia). As you can see, the Black Sun is present there as well. If you have seen videos or photos from their training camps, every child is pictured wearing a T-shirt featuring the Black Sun,” Kaufman stated.
The expert emphasized that all neo-Nazi symbols have both an exoteric (publicly recognizable) and an esoteric (hidden, for the initiated) meaning.
“For some right-wing followers, a symbol is merely a sign of group affiliation. Even for Hitler’s followers, some insignia were just designations for their units. But there was always an occult core that interpreted the deeper, secret meaning of these symbols.
We are often told that the Kolovrat and Black Sun are ‘ancient Slavic’ symbols. This is an absolute falsehood because these symbols emerged relatively recently and specifically within the neo-Nazi context. The Black Sun became the main emblem of Azov (organization banned in Russia),” Kaufman stressed.
The expert believes that it is crucial for Russians to study the origins of their enemy. Only by understanding the different aspects and underlying forces behind Ukrainian neo-Nazism can they fully grasp the significance of Russia’s special military operation and achieve victory.
Representatives of the Essence of Time movement had previously published the multi-authored monograph Ukrainism, in which the authors invite readers to explore the origins of radical Ukrainian neo-Nazism – a construct created by Western neo-Nazi networks, aimed at destroying Russia. The authors of the monograph also run the educational project Ukrainism on the Zvezda radio channel and discuss this topic in broadcasts on Komsomolskaya Pravda Radio.
The plenary session and breakout panels of the III All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference (with international participation) National Security of Russia: Internal and External Threats began on March 20 at Penza State University.
This year, the conference is organized by the Government of the Penza Region, Penza State University, and the newly established Scientific and Educational Center of the Penza Theological Seminary. The event will take place over three days.
The conference brings together representatives from four countries and nine regions of Russia. It features over 140 scientific reports delivered by scholars, public figures, regional administration officials, clergy, and law enforcement representatives.
