Are the Ukrainians Nazis? - No! Are there ukrainian Nazis / radical nationalists?
They had a fascist coup in 2014, what followed was nazis being empowered throughout government and military offices. The merging of nazi brigades into the military officially, fascist policy, fascist education, the revision of history, the honouring of fascist historical figures as "heroes" (Stepan Bandera being the most well known of which), and none of this has changed since. Early on in the war they banned all political parties except for the existing ruling party and the fascist parties.
In particular, the attitudes that gradually improved are the ones towards Ivan Mazepa (44% in 2012 and 76% in 2022), Simon Petliura (26% in 2012 and 49% in 2022) and Stepan Bandera (22% in 2012 and 74% in 2022).
Stepan Bandera was leader of the OUN, which killed tens of thousands of jews during the holocaust and was regarded by the Nazi SS as extreme and particularly brutal even by their standards. What you MUST understand about this shift in perception is that this is like making Hitler popular in Germany again by remaking the education system, changing how you promote him and creating/promoting glorious stories of him as an important figure and hero of modern Germany. This shift has been led by fascists throughout government who are categorically not good people.
They had a fascist coup in 2014, what followed was nazis being empowered throughout government and military offices. The merging of nazi brigades into the military officially, fascist policy, fascist education, the revision of history, the honouring of fascist historical figures as "heroes" (Stepan Bandera being the most well known of which), and none of this has changed since. Early on in the war they banned all political parties except for the existing ruling party and the fascist parties.
This video contains some highlights of the last few years.
If you don't believe nazism is still in power in this government here is the Secretary of Defense saying that asians are not human only a few days ago.
And if that's not enough? Here is a major Ukrainian polling agency demonstrating the effect of nazis being in power in Ukraine. In 2012 support for Stepan Bandera was only 22%. Today, after the changes and promotion of his fascist beliefs, the lionisation of him and the remaking of Ukraine into an ultranationalist nation, that support is now 74%. Quote:
Stepan Bandera was leader of the OUN, which killed tens of thousands of jews during the holocaust and was regarded by the Nazi SS as extreme and particularly brutal even by their standards. What you MUST understand about this shift in perception is that this is like making Hitler popular in Germany again by remaking the education system, changing how you promote him and creating/promoting glorious stories of him as an important figure and hero of modern Germany. This shift has been led by fascists throughout government who are categorically not good people.