An American neo-Nazi terrorist group whose leader is based in Russia is calling for assassinations and attacks on critical infrastructure in Ukraine, according to The Guardian.
The group, known as The Base, was founded in 2018 and operates through a global network. It has become the subject of an FBI investigation, which has resulted in several arrests and the organization’s official designation as a terrorist group.
“Now, with the Trump administration pulling the FBI from pursuing the far right, the Base, left unchecked, is trying to export its violence abroad,” the report says.
This is the first time the group has openly aligned itself with the Kremlin’s geopolitical objectives. Experts believe this shift points to the group’s involvement in Russian sabotage and propaganda operations across Europe.
The Base’s founder and leader, Rinaldo Nazzaro — an American who once worked with special forces during the war on terror — now resides in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He has long been suspected, even by members of The Base, of being a Russian intelligence asset.
“Given Russia’s connections to the leadership of the Base, including offering sanctuary to its leader Rinaldo Nazzaro, there is a strong chance that this could very well be a Russian intelligence operation,” said Colin Clarke, the director of research at the Soufan Center.
In Telegram messages, the Base has offered payments to volunteers to carry out attacks on power plants, military and police vehicles, soldiers and police officers, government buildings, Ukrainian politicians in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
The group is believed to be funded by cryptocurrency and possibly through income of unknown origin linked to Nazzaro.
Last week, the group published a plan online to create a “white nationalist enclave in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region,” which it views as suitable for having “rugged mountainous terrain, which is a force multiplier for an unconventional paramilitary force.” Around 50 videos and several posts were released, mostly showing individuals spray-painting the Ukrainian Base symbol. The first symbols appeared in Kyiv and Odesa, later spreading to Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, with the videos dating from late March.
“How real the Base’s actual presence in Ukraine currently is, remains unclear and is unlikely to be significant. In 2019, Ukrainian security services deported one of the Base’s members for his neo-Nazi activities and trying to enlist in their military. Though they have tried and failed, it is rare for stateside far-right groups to export any real influence into Ukraine,” the report adds.
Nazzaro has repeatedly denied any ties to intelligence agencies. In 2020, he appeared on Kremlin state TV, claiming he had never had any contact with Russian security services. However, posts calling for attacks in Ukraine first appeared on Base Russia’s VKontakte account, controlled by Nazzaro. The account’s primary email for recruiting terrorists is hosted by the Russian provider Mail.ru.
“I think this means that Nazzaro remains under the thumb of Russian intelligence. Russia likes to collect these kinds of ‘useful idiots’ that it can then employ to do its dirty work,” said Clarke.
Nazzaro, in a conversation with journalists via Telegram, has claimed the group’s operations in Ukraine are not coordinated from Russia.
Last year, members of The Base were arrested in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy, where authorities dismantled a cell linked to a broader network of Russian far-right terrorists.
“The Base’s operations in Ukraine need to be taken seriously as they have repeatedly demonstrated an ability to attract new recruits who then proceed to plan acts of catastrophic violence,” said Stephen Rai of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
Read more:
- Macron unveils Franco-British mission to reshape Ukraine’s armed forces
- Kremlin says “no plans” for Putin-Trump call as White House warns patience is limited
- “In some form.” Russia is now open to Western security guarantees for Ukraine —that’s never happened before
