Domestic Terrorism Threat Monitor – Account Review (DTTM-AR): Russian Neo-Nazi In Syria Posts Photos With Neo-Nazi Flags, Claims To Have Been Trained At Russian Intelligence Academy On VK

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May 4, 2021

The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating terror-related activity / sympathies.

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Platform: VK

Additional Information: On VK, a Russian neo-Nazi posts about currently fighting in Syria. According to his profile, he is based in Aleppo, and he claims to have attended an Academy, where Russian intelligence personnel are trained. Many of his posts include song lyrics in Russian, on the topic of Syria, the special forces, and war. Additionally, it appears that he fought in Donbas. He posted images of himself and fellow combatants posing with neo-Nazi flags with swastikas.

Screenshots And Excerpts:

He posted a photo of himself on April 26, wearing fatigues in the desert with a weapon. He quoted a verse from the song "Phantom Platoon" by Russian band Kipelov: "Up to the sky-high realms, to the land of unconquered heights, the platoon goes to the East, to where it all began."

In another post that day, he published a photo of a combatant holding a flag. He added in Ukrainian: "My honor is called loyalty," with swastikas and double lightning bolts.

He posted a photo of himself giving the Nazi salute with a paramilitary flag on his computer and a portrait of Hitler in the background on April 23, with the text: "Even a one man can be a warrior if he has something to fight for."

Another post that day featured an image of two individuals. One, who may be the man, is wearing a balaclava, while the other holds a Syrian flag. He wrote: "Aleppo and Palmyra, Ar-Raqqa and Damascus. Here the Special Forces preserved history for the world. Mines and grenades are the melody of war; we are just 'musicians' from a northern country."

On March 18, he posted a photo of a bloodied helmet, possibly his own, etched with SS lightning bolts and swastikas.

He posted a photo of two fighters cooking over a fire. He added: "For the White Rus, or National Socialism."

He posted a photo of himself on March 15, posing with a flag of an international neo-Nazi group, where some members fought as mercenaries against pro-Russian separatists.

It appears that he also fought in Donbas. He posted a photo of some combatants giving the Nazi salute on February 17, and wrote: "ATO zone (OOS) [Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone (Joint Forces Operation)] Intelligence of Ukrainian Volunteer Army."

In another post that day, he published a photo of two men wearing skull masks, holding a Nazi flag. He added: "National Socialism."

A photo of what appears to be a vault was posted on November 26, 2020. Arabic text in the image reads: "Refresh your tongue by praying to Allah's messenger." Russian text on the vault reads: "God won't help you here, there is no god. Only you, your sober mind, an assault rifle and the enemy exist. If you put your faith in god, get ready to go home headless."

On January 21, he posted an image of a fighter with his face digitally obscured, standing in front of a truck which reads "the army" in Arabic. He added: "soldier of fortune doesn't see dreams."

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