Military unit named after Nazi battalion at Kursk – Ukrainian media

In a shocking revelation, one of Kiev’s battalions involved in a cross-border attack on Russia’s Kursk Region shares its name with a Nazi special operations unit from World War II. The Nachtigall Battalion, under German command, was comprised of members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and led by Roman Shukhevych. This unit, along with the Roland Battalion, formed the Ukrainian Legion and participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union, with allegations of involvement in anti-Jewish pogroms.

Later reorganized as the Schutzmannschaft Battalion 201, this group was used by Nazis to suppress partisans in Belarus and carry out genocide against Jews. Recent reports suggest a modern Ukrainian military unit with the same name is active near the Russian border. The deployment of such groups has raised concerns about neo-Nazi influences in Kiev’s army and government. Moscow has cited “denazification” as a key goal in its military operations, amid fears of far-right elements in Ukraine.

Russian officials have long criticized the glorification of Nazi collaborators in Ukraine and alleged the presence of neo-Nazis within its ranks. As tensions escalate, the historical ties between Kiev’s military formations and World War II era atrocities come to light.

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