Rusich and WPRS Ultranationalists Fighting for Russia in Ukraine
Author: Lucas Webber is the co-founder/co-owner and editor of Militant Wire (militantwire.com). He has written for The Jamestown Foundation’s Terrorism Monitor and Militant Leadership Monitor, The Diplomat, Eurasianet, Hudson Institute, Extremist Monitoring Analysis Network, CIMSEC, and elsewhere.
Twitter: @LucasADWebber
When Russian President Vladimir Putin commenced the “Special Military Operation” in February 2022, he called for the complete “demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine.” The latter reference regarded hardline right-wing elements in the Ukrainian government and armed forces such as Azov Regiment, Right Sector, and Freikorps. However, many were quick to point out that Russia’s own military and aligned irregular forces likewise contain radical contingents amongst their ranks.
Fighting alongside Moscow’s forces in Ukraine are groups like Rusich DSHRG and soldiers linked to the WPRS tactical organization. Likewise, regular Russian military personnel and allied troops have been seen waving flags and wearing symbols associated with ultranationalist ideologies. In both sides of the war, the rise of far-right militias and radical contingents and their future after the guns fall silent will present an issue similar to returning foreign fighters that joined Daesh in the Middle East — namely, what do Western governments do with returning far-right foreign fighters.
Rusich
The most prominent of Russia’s extreme right combatants is the Rusich sabotage and assault reconnaissance group (DSHRG). Rusich is led by Alexey Milchakov, who was trained as a paratrooper, and Yan Petrovsky, who was a former Norwegian citizen. Milchakov openly promotes neo-Nazi symbology and views while Petrovsky was expelled from Norway after the government declared him a national security threat. The organization’s logos consist of the Valknut and the Kolovrat which are commonly used by radical right-wing movements in Slavic countries, Russia and Ukraine in particular.
Both men were involved in early hostilities in the Donbas in 2014-15 and — in addition to their activities in the Donbas, which included participation in several important battles — Rusich has operated in Syria with photographic evidence placing the location of its fighters in the Palmyra region. Rusich’s operational profile and online following have grown considerably since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The group has fought in the Kharkiv area and has since been active near various other towns and cities.
By most accounts, Rusich is skilled at what they do, and from its propaganda, it is clear its forces are well-trained and heavily armed. The group’s arsenal includes customized automatic weapons, heavy machine guns, sniper rifles, anti-tank systems, rocket launchers, mortars, and drones capable of dropping explosives.
This recon and assault force is not only transnational in its operations, but also in its history of attracting foreign fighters. Aside from Petrovsky (Norway), the organization has drawn recruits from Poland, Italy, and presumably other countries.
Rusich’s increased online following is likewise quite international, and supporters of the group have created channels in which they post graphic-designed images and battlefield compilation videos set to music. Rusich itself has developed a robust propaganda apparatus spanning several platforms such as VK, Telegram, and Instagram. This pool of followers provides donations for the group’s online fundraising campaigns to purchase weapons, equipment, and supplies. They have, for example, used these funds to purchase drones and medical equipment.
WPRS
Another such group is WPRS which is some mix of a survivalist, recon, tactical, and weapons enthusiast network that recruits and trains in Russia with some of its fighters operating in Ukraine, having been spotted in different areas of the country throughout the war including the storming of Mariupol’s Azovstal complexes. Recently, in late January 2023, its forces posed for a photo near Oleksandrivka in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv Oblast wearing Nazi SS symbols. Its VK page also features photos of members wearing Totenkopf and Kolovrat patches. On social media platforms, the group posts memes with the Black Sun (Sonnenrad) and shared content from Rusich and Wagner. They also maintain a presence on TikTok.
In Russia, WPRS’s members have been seen training with a variety of customized weapons, wearing thermals, operating at night and in forested, swamp, and mountain terrain, driving snowmobiles and other vehicles, practicing raids on buses and buildings, moving through smoky tunnels with gas masks, and operating drones. The outfit has released lengthy statements giving advice to its current and potential members stressing the importance of “partisan education”, physical fitness, willpower, practice in the field, and team cohesion.
The WPRS organization is ultranationalist in orientation and ardently supports Russia’s efforts to expel Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR). Some of its members are directly involved in the invasion and promote the conquering and “liberation” of Novorossiya — a large swathe of land stretching from eastern Ukraine down to Odessa on the coast. Notably, WPRS, like Rusich, commonly incorporates the black, yellow, and white Russian imperial flag in its media productions.
As the grinding war of attrition in Ukraine drags on and continues to escalate, Russia’s far-right military elements continue working to help achieve Moscow’s stated objectives. Given this, it is likely that the profiles of and support bases for Rusich and the much lesser-known WPRS will only continue to expand. A Russian victory would undoubtedly be a boon for their causes and ideologies as these forces would be viewed as part of a historic victory and perhaps even as contributors in finally taking the much-desired lands of Novorossiya.
