Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Soldier Charged With Recruiting Nazi Sympathizers, Media Reports

Sergei Kiselyov / Moskva News Agency

A Russian soldier has been reportedly charged with extremism for recruiting fellow soldiers guarding Defense Ministry buildings in central Moscow into his budding Nazi party.

Before his conscription, Private Oleg Konstantinov formed the National Socialist Workers’ Party of Russia on the popular Vkontakte social media platform under the online alias of Oleg Breitenberg. There, he actively pressed his 38 supporters to elect a party leader “fuhrer” before his conscription into the army in the fall of 2017, the Kommersant business daily reported Saturday.

Investigators believe Konstantinov recruited six fellow soldiers on guard duty at the imposing Russian Defense Ministry buildings across the river from Gorky Park, Kommersant cited case materials as saying.

"His comrades, claiming that Private Konstantinov had misled them, testified against him as an organizer of an illegal group," the publication reported.

Konstantinov pleaded guilty and has been placed in pre-trial detention with an accomplice, according to Kommersant.

He faces up to three years in prison on charges of inciting hatred and four years for creating an extremist organization.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more