Ukraine: Neo-Nazis from Right Sector form Donbas battalion to handle pro-Russian separatists

Dmytro Yarosh, the leader of Ukraine’s neo-Nazis, is organizing a "special Donbas battalion" in eastern Ukraine to take care of public order and confront the activities of pro-Russian separatists. Yarosh announced the news in Dnipropetrovsk on 24 April.

The brigade will supposedly have around 800 men. Yarosh said that recruitment of volunteers for the newly-created shock troops is being done with the agreement of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry and the SBU secret service.

"We want to help the security forces, more and more people are turning to us with requests to establish order in the east," Yarosh said. According to the Ukrainian media, the "Donbas battalion" is to become a component of a volunteer unit called "Dnieper", the creation of which was announced by Interior Minister Arsen Avakov at the start of April.

The ministry is opening the unit to men 45 years of age and younger who have completed their basic military service. Avakov said Dnieper would be "a response to the firebrands, the unidentified gunmen, and the other bandits who have been tasked with threatening the integrity of Ukraine."    

Pro-Russian organizations say Right Sector activities in the east of the country are one reason for their dissatisfaction with the current government in Kiev. Many leaders of the pro-Russian radicals have been turning to Moscow with requests for aid and referencing the threat of right-wing extremism in Ukraine.