As a Russian militant who led eye-catching paramilitary raids into Russia from Ukrainian territory this year and last, Kyiv sees Kapustin has a role to play as an ally against President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n
But there are hazards in holding him too close. German authorities say Kapustin \u2014 sometimes known as Denis Nikitin \u2014 is \u201cone of the most influential neo-Nazi activists\u201d on the European continent, and that\u2019s a godsend to Russian propagandists, who are seeking to whitewash their murderous invasion of Ukraine as an attempt to \u201cde-Nazify\u201d Kyiv.<\/p>\n
Baranovsky claims his group is \u201ca regular unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,\u201d telling POLITICO at last week\u2019s press conference: \u201cWhen we are on the territory of Ukraine \u2014 we are servicemen of the Ukrainian army, equal in all rights and duties to all other servicemen of Ukraine. When we go to the territory of Russia \u2014 we are no longer Ukrainian servicemen, we are Russian citizens who have taken up arms.\u201d<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-the-ukraine-war\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Germany describes Denis Kapustin as a top neo-Nazi, and his role in the war is a double-edged sword for Kyiv. As a Russian militant who led eye-catching paramilitary raids into Russia from Ukrainian territory this year and last, Kyiv sees … Continue reading