22.06.2026, Moscow.
Neo-Nazis in Ukraine control military units numbering 120,000–150,000 personnel and strive to preserve their manpower, stated Konstantin Cheprasov, co-author of the multi-authored monograph Ukrainism, during the Dialogues program on Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda.
The expert noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian Nationalist Guard include three corps and several brigades that are openly neo-Nazi in nature. The total personnel strength of these units is estimated at 120,000–150,000.
As an example he cited the Azov Battalion (organization banned in Russia). Its commander is the neo-Nazi Denis Prokopenko, who was holed up in the basements of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.
Cheprasov drew parallels with Nazi Germany, where “the SS began forming parallel power structures almost immediately because they feared the Wehrmacht.” The Wehrmacht elite consisted of the old Prussian aristocracy, who largely viewed Hitler and his party as upstarts; the German Nazis realized they needed to create their own parallel system of power.
“First and foremost, they created the SS, then the Waffen-SS, and so on,” the expert recalled. He noted that prior to World War II, the strength of SS structures was at 220,000–230,000 personnel, out of a total German population of approximately 80 million.
In contrast, the population of modern Ukraine is no more than 30 million, meaning that, in percentage terms, the Nazi units represent an even larger share. “So, here too, we are looking at a force of 150,000 – a formidable striking force – for a country of this size, with this population and this army,” Cheprasov emphasized.
The expert noted that these Nazi units are very protective of their personnel. He cited the operation to liberate Avdeevka as an example, noting that Azov (organization banned in Russia) refused to carry out the Commander-in-Chief’s order to break the blockade around encircled Ukrainian units.
Nazi commanders acknowledge the reality of the situation, Cheprasov stressed: “They say, ‘Yes, Russia has greater manpower, a more powerful economy, industry, and so on. That means we have to win through technology and creativity.’”
What’s backing “Bandera neo-Nazi Ukraine” is the military-industrial complex of all of Europe – a capacity that, while perhaps weakened in the post-Soviet era, remains formidable, the expert highlighted.
Cheprasov pointed to the critical factor of communications as an example, “Essentially, all their [Ukrainian] communications are supported by the United States, Europe, or the UK – Starlink, satellite links, electronic intelligence.” Kiev employs the latest Western-developed communication technologies, whereas Russia faces gaps in this area.
“And so, their reasoning is: ‘We have these capabilities, so we can offset our manpower shortage by leveraging this technology,'” the expert explained, describing the Ukrainian neo-Nazis’ approach to combat operations.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
