"They don't zig anymore." Co-author of the amendments on “discrediting” volunteers Andrei Kartapolov - about neo-Nazis fighting for Russia

If Russian neo-Nazis are fighting against Ukraine as part of Russian forces, it means they have “already reformed.” State Duma deputy, Chairman of the Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov stated this to Fontanka. The interview was published on March 2; on March 5, journalist Roman Kulguskin drew attention to it.

Kartapolov is a co-author of the amendments that were adopted in early March and introduced criminal penalties for “discrediting” fighters of “volunteer formations” fighting on the side of Russia. Fontanka journalist Yulia Nikitina asked the deputy whether it is possible to say that among these volunteers there are also neo-Nazis - in particular, from the sabotage and assault reconnaissance group (DSRG) "Rusich".

“You can’t just say unfoundedly that these people support the fascists. We have no grounds for this,” Kartapolov replied.

When the journalist objected that there were reasons (“There are a lot of interviews where [Rusich’s] founder Alexei Milchakov directly says that he is a Nazi, there are photographs of them zigging, there are photographs of their swastika tattoos”) the deputy replied: “I think , that they have already removed the tattoos and are no longer zigging.”

“If they carry out tasks as part of a group of Russian troops, it means they have already corrected themselves,” the deputy added.

Here is this fragment of the interview

— Since 2014, a certain organization calling itself “ Rusich ” has been fighting in Donbass. In their purest form they are fans of the Nazis, there are photographs where they are zigging against a background of swastikas, they have swastika tattoos. But now they are fighting on the side of Russia. Is talking about these people discrediting?

“I would recommend talking about these people with caution.” So as not to come into conflict with yourself.

— I do not and cannot have an internal conflict when I talk about people who support fascism/Nazism. My history does not allow any conflict.

“You can’t just say unfoundedly that these people support the fascists.” We have no reason for this.

- How is it not? There are a lot of interviews where their founder Alexey Milchakov directly says that he is a Nazi, there are photographs of them zigging, there are photographs of their swastika tattoos. What other evidence is needed?

“I think they’ve already removed the tattoos and don’t bother them anymore.”

— That is, even here [in sympathizing with Nazism] there is a right to make a mistake and it is possible to improve?

“If they carry out tasks as part of a group of Russian troops, it means they have already corrected themselves.

“Medusa” in Russia is now not only a “foreign agent”, but also an “undesirable” organization. This status is much worse than before. Nevertheless, we continue to work. We can still be read. It is safe. Here are all the answers to troubling questions.

• Administrative and criminal liability for “discrediting” the Russian army, as well as criminal liability for “fakes” about the military in Russia were introduced in March 2022. Then the effect of the relevant laws was extended to government bodies, for example, the National Guard.
• In January 2023, the founder of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, proposed to State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin to legally “prohibit public actions aimed at discrediting volunteers, including former prisoners.” Volodin ordered to “urgently study the issue.”
• On March 1, before the adoption of amendments on punishment for “discrediting” volunteers, Prigozhin asked not to extend them to the senior command staff of the Russian Ministry of Defense and volunteer detachments, including Wagner PMCs. “This is necessary to ensure that they exercise their powers transparently and responsibly,” he said.