Propaganda of fascism is legally prohibited in Russia. In direct contravention with the country’s official stance, Putin is courting marginal, far-right, ultra-radical organizations in Europe and the U.S. According to his warped logic, any enemies of Russia’s opponents can be recruited to sow unrest and dissent in their home countries. Along with Neo-Nazis, fascists and at least one convicted member of a terrorist organization, the forum hosted Nathan Smith, one of the leaders of the Texas Nationalist Movement. He was invited by the Kremlin-backed Anti-Globalist Movement of Russia. Smith said that his goal was to meet like-minded individuals who cherish the same values. While Russia actively supports and sometimes artificially foments separatist movements in other countries, separatism is illegal in Russia. Any Russian groups that seek independence from Moscow are designated as terrorist organizations and face serious consequences.
Nick Griffin, Holocaust denier, the expelled former leader of the anti-immigrant British National Party and a fervent defender of Neo-Nazis.
St. Petersburg Nazi, Alexey Milchakov, who was named in the EU list of sanctioned individuals for his terrorist activities in Ukraine. Milchakov rose to infamy for murdering and eating a puppy on-camera. He later joined the so-called “separatist movement” in Ukraine and was filmed torturing Ukrainian POW’s.
Roberto Fiore, leader of Italy’s far-right party Forza Nuova. Fiore was tried and convicted in absentia for being a member of a fascist terror group, implicated in the Bologna bombing of 1980, which killed 85 people.
Udo Voigt, a senior figure in Germany’s extreme-right National Democratic Party. Voigt is a fervent admirer of the Third Reich and the son of a Nazi soldier, whom he calls his “role model.” In 2004, Voigt was charged with incitement to hatred for calling Adolf Hitler a “great man.” In 2007, he faced additional charges for suggesting the name of Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, for the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2009, Voigt received a suspended prison sentence after being charged with inciting racial hatred and defamation for circulating racist pamphlets during the 2006 World Cup. Voigt handed out pamphlets that claimed that a black player was not worthy to play for Germany’s national team, which they said should be made up of whites only. In 2012, Voigt received a 10-month suspended sentence for glorifying the actions of Hitler’s SS.
Former KKK lawyer Sam Dickson.
Georgios Epitidios, a representative of Greece’s neo-fascist/ neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.