Alexey Yurievich Milchakov (Russian: Алексей Юрьевич Мильчаков, born 30 April 1991) is a Russian neo-Nazi, suspected war criminal and co-leader and co-founder of the Rusich Group, that operated from 2022 within the Wagner Group.[2]
Alexey Milchakov | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | Алексей Юрьевич Мильчаков |
| Nickname(s) | "Serb", "Fritz" |
| Born | 30 April 1991 Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance |  Luhansk People's Republic (2014–2015) Russia (2015–present) |
| Service |  Russian Airborne Troops Army of the South-East (2014)ENOT Corp[1] Wagner Group |
| Unit |  Rapid Response Group "Batman" (2014) DShRG "Rusich" (2014–present) |
| Commands | DShRG "Rusich" |
| Battles / wars | |
Milchakov first came to public attention in 2011, after he filmed himself torturing and decapitating a puppy and posted footage of it online.
He has been linked to atrocities in both Syria and Ukraine,[2][3] including the participation in beating a man to death with a sledgehammer, and has been described as "the symbol of Russian neo-Nazis fighting in the Donbass".[4]
He is as of 2022 sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries.[5]
Biography
editHe was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Milchakov calls himself a fan of FC Zenit.[6]
Animal abuse
editMilchakov first came to public attention after he filmed himself torturing and decapitating a puppy in 2011, posting the footage online.[2][7] A petition calling to hold him accountable was supported by more than 5,500 people. At the same time animal rights activists addressed FC Zenit players in order for them to give an assessment to Milchakov's actions.[8] In his VK page he also called for killing of homeless people, puppies and children.[6]
Alleged Actions in Syria
editA 2024 investigation by the open source research group Bellingcat analyzed a 2017 photograph that depicted a man in military uniform holding a severed human head near the Syrian city of Palmyra. By comparing the camouflage patterns, Bellingcat concluded the uniform was likely worn by Milchakov or a member of Rusich. Bellingcat geolocated the photograph and found it was 5.5km away from where Wagner mercenaries tortured and beheaded a Syrian man in 2017.[3]
War In Donbas
edit
Milchakov participated as a volunteer in the war in Donbas from 2014,[2] stating later he wanted "to kill".[7] According to his own account, Milchakov formed Rusich together with Yan Petrovsky in the summer of 2014, after going through a paramilitary training program run by the Imperial Legion, the military branch of the Russian Imperial Movement.[9] He has openly bragged about photographing mutilated and burnt Ukrainian bodies of members of the paramilitary Aidar group in 2014.[2] Milchakov is also reputed to have cut ears of Ukrainian corpses and scratched swastikas on their faces.[10] By 2015, he had been sanctioned by the European Union, United Kingdom and Canada.[2] He has used the call signs "Fritz" and "Serb".[7]
In 2016 Milchakov criticized the leadership of the Luhansk People's Republic for ostentatious “anti-fascism”.[11]
In a 2020 video, Milchakov described himself as a "Nazi", stating: "I'm not going to go deep and say, I'm a nationalist, a patriot, an imperialist, and so forth. I'll say it outright: I'm a Nazi."[2]
In August 2022, Nexta posted a tweet of footage showing Milchakov in Ukraine.[12] According to the German Intelligence Service, Milchakov was allegedly injured in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[13]
Sanctions
editMilchakov is sanctioned by Canada in 2015,[14] and by Australia, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand,[15] Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States[16] in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5][17]
References
edit- ^ "How Russian Fighters Train Serb Teens at 'Military-Patriotic' Camps". 19 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Kozhurin, Dmitry (27 May 2022). "Who Are The Neo-Nazis Fighting For Russia In Ukraine?". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ a b Sheldon, Michael (23 January 2024). "The Man in the Matching Uniform: Investigating a Rusich Atrocity in Syria". bellingcat. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Mareš, Miroslav; Laryš, Martin; Holzer, Jan (25 October 2018). Militant Right-Wing Extremism in Putin's Russia: Legacies, Forms and Threats. Routledge. ISBN 9780429953620. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ a b "ALONG THE SANCTIONED PERSONS: MILCHAKOV Alexey Yurevich". War & Sanctions. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Блоггеры добились прокурорской проверки после появления в Сети снимков с фанатом "Зенита", убивающим щенка". NEWSru.com (in Russian). 28 November 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b c "Dying to kill The Russian neo-Nazis fighting Vladimir Putin's war to 'denazify' Ukraine". Meduza. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Прокуратура занялась фанатом "Зенита", который отрезал голову собаке". vesti.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Rondeaux, Candace; Deer, Jonathan; Dalton, Ben (26 January 2022). "Neo-Nazi Russian Attack Unit Hints It's Going Back Into Ukraine Undercover". Daily Beast. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ Wheelwright, Julie (2020). Sisters in Arms: Female warriors from antiquity to the new millennium. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 246. ISBN 9781472838025. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Activatica". Activatica (in Russian). Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ "NEXTA on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
Well-known #Russian Neo-Nazi Alexei Milchakov was featured in the video. During the war in #Donbas, he cut off the ears of murdered #Ukrainian servicemen and took pictures with burned corpses.
- ^ "Russian Neo-Nazis Participate in 'Denazifying' Ukraine – Der Spiegel". The Moscow Times. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations". Canada Gazette. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ "Russia Sanctions Regulations 2022". Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Russia-related Designations; Issuance of Russia-related General License and Frequently Asked Questions; Zimbabwe-related Designation, Removals and Update; Libya-related Designation Update". Office of Foreign Assets Control. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2023.