Moscow faces the potential of another uprising involving Russian fighters within Ukraine. The paramilitary group known as Rusich, associated with neo-Nazi ideologies, has issued a threat to withdraw its forces. This move follows the arrest of their leader, Jan Igorevich Petrovsky, in Finland at the request of Kiev.
In response to Petrovsky’s arrest, the neo-Nazi group has presented an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They demand that their leader be released, according to an analysis by the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Russian Sabotage and Reconnaissance Group, a far-right paramilitary unit, declared that it would halt combat missions in Ukraine until Petrovsky’s release from Finnish custody. This group criticizes the Russian government for failing to safeguard Russians abroad and questions why they should defend Russia if the government won’t protect its citizens.
Allegedly, Petrovsky, also known as Slavyan in combat, clashed with Ukrainian SBU counterintelligence agents in Finland during his interrogation. The Rusich organization, which Reuters characterizes as openly neo-Nazi, has been active since 2014, participating alongside pro-Russian forces in Ukraine’s Donbas region. They are also involved in the ongoing Russian invasion. Additionally, Rusich has connections to the Wagner Group, a mercenary outfit led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who rebelled against the Russian leadership before dying in a recent plane crash.
Recent reports indicate that Petrovsky was detained on terrorism charges, with Ukraine seeking his extradition. He has been on the sanctions lists of both the European Union and the United States since the previous year. The US Treasury Department identifies Petrovsky as the main military instructor of the Rusich group. Petrovsky previously lived in Norway but was expelled in 2016 with a ban on entering Schengen Area countries.
In Russia, Petrovsky assumed the name Vojislav Torden and, with his wife, gained a residence permit in Finland using a student visa. Earlier this year, he was apprehended as he was preparing to leave Finland for Nice, France, as reported by the Russian-language television channel Nastoyashcheye Vremja, which is funded by American sources.
Source: novinky.cz
