In February this year, Ukraine created an international legion. There is a separate military department for foreign volunteers, who will fight on Ukraine’s side in the war. The Legion is under the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Now news can reveal that a far-right Norwegian enlisted in the legion. The Norwegian has for several years expressed that he supports Nazism. Among other things, he has been active in a Norwegian chat group on Telegram where Nazi symbols and sympathies are shared diligently. In the group, the man himself has published pictures of swastikas and Nazi flags. He has also written messages that play on racism against blacks, and published images with anti-Semitic messages linked to Israel and Nazism. These screenshots show how a user with the same name as the man shared Nazi effects in a Telegram group. Photo: screenshot from Telegram channel news has previously told that a Nazi with connections to Norway must have participated in the war on the Russian side as well. Convicted in a weapons case The man who enlisted for Ukraine has been very interested in weapons and the Second World War ever since his early youth. On the internet, he has shown how he acquired old military vehicles. In March last year, the Norwegian was also sentenced. The 22-year-old was in illegal possession of weapon parts and stolen weapons. The background to the case was that he was stopped with large quantities of weapon parts on his way into Norway from Germany. The weapon parts were derived from machine guns and submachine guns. Several of the parts could easily be turned into working semi- or fully automatic weapons. This was shown by a review by weapons experts in Kripos. In connection with the investigation, it was also discovered that he illegally stored ammunition at home and at work. The man was then also caught for stealing an anti-aircraft cannon from a museum. He was sentenced to prison for one year and two months in March 2021. In November of the same year, the police charged the man again for violating the Weapons Act. The defense also assisted in connection with the search at his home. The Legion confirms During the year, the Norwegian traveled to Ukraine to join the Foreign Legion there. This is confirmed by the communications director of the International Legion in Ukraine. – I can confirm that he was in the legion, but based on the information we have, he is no longer here, writes the director in an e-mail to news. The communications director, who calls himself Mockingjay, will not give more details about which unit the Norwegian was attached to or how long he was in the legion. According to the legion’s own recruitment page, the legion is for those who want to fight actively, and for people with combat experience. According to news, the man is now back in Norway. news has contacted the man’s defender, lawyer Odd Rune Torstrup, who says that the 22-year-old does not want to comment on the case. Nazi salute news has found several clues on social media that could link the man to Ukraine. In October, the Norwegian posted a picture on Telegram in which a man in uniform makes the Nazi salute. He has also posted similar photos on his Facebook profile. In this photo, parts of the man’s name could be seen on the uniform. news has glossed over details in the picture. The face is partially covered, but has clear similarities to the convicted Norwegian. Parts of the Norwegian’s surname are also on the uniform. On his chest, the man has a badge depicting the Ukrainian flag and an emblem similar to the Ukrainian coat of arms. The man also has a blue ribbon or tape around one upper arm. It is not unusual for soldiers to wear tape in an agreed color on their uniform. The purpose is to make it easier for fellow soldiers to see that you belong to the same group. Pictures posted by the foreign legion in October show that the legion used blue tape on its uniform during this period. A photo posted on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Foreign Legion in Ukraine. The photo shows that the soldiers marked their uniforms with blue tape. Photo: ILDU news has asked the Foreign Legion if they have any comment on the man apparently making a Nazi salute while fighting for the Foreign Legion. – Everyone has the right to have their own political opinions, as long as they do not spread these and cause conflict and confrontations. We have had no formal complaints about him while he was in the legion, writes the communications director. Tor Bukkvoll is chief researcher at the Norwegian Defense Research Institute. – It shows that Ukraine wants to have a place for people who want to help them in the fight. They probably care less about where they stand politically, says Bukkvoll. In addition, there is little time and opportunity for political “screening”. – What do you think about the fact that a Norwegian with far-right sympathies has joined the international legion? – The Legion must have expected that such things would happen. I would think that a good number of right-wing extremists are focused on combat and military life. Then they would like to go where there are opportunities to fight, the researcher replies. Posted photos of Azov flag In August, the man posted another photo in the same Telegram chat. The photo shows a red Nazi flag, a flag with Ukrainian colors and swastika and a flag with the emblem of the Azov Regiment. The photo of the swastika flag and the flag with the Azov battalion badge was posted by the man in August. The picture was taken indoors. Photo: Privat Azov was established in 2014. The battalion has previously been referred to as a far-right or neo-Nazi group. Now the regiment operates under orders from the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs. PST has previously expressed that people with extreme attitudes who return from areas of war and conflict can pose an additional danger. This is because in war zones they may have received training and experience in the use of violence. Such experience can make people have a greater potential for violence. PST will not comment on this specific case. Nazis on the Russian side The president of Russia has justified the war against Ukraine by saying that it is necessary to demilitarize and de-Nazify the country. However, Nazis have also fought on Russia’s side in the war. In April, news reported that a Russian neo-Nazi with a Norwegian background said he was on a “war mission” in Ukraine.
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Far-right Norwegian enlisted in the Ukrainian combat department – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
