Pro-Ukraine Fighters Using American-Made Armored Vehicles

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Ukraine’s Far-Right Fighters: American-Made Armor Raises Concerns

Far-right militias who carried out an attack on a Russian region bordering Ukraine were found to be using US-made tactical vehicles, raising concerns about Ukraine’s support for extremist groups within its own borders.

While Ukraine has denied direct involvement in Monday’s raid, a military official acknowledged “cooperating” with nationalist groups who entered Russian territory to “liberate” a village.

According to Denis Nikitin, leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps, his fighters utilized American-made military vehicles during the assault on the Belgorod region. He mentioned the presence of at least two M1224 MaxxPro armored vehicles and several Humvees but declined to disclose how they were acquired.

The US has provided Ukraine with military assistance worth $37 billion in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion. American officials have repeatedly emphasized that they do not endorse or enable Ukrainian forces or their allies to launch attacks inside Russia using US equipment. They remain skeptical about the accuracy of such reports and maintain close contact with their Ukrainian counterparts.

Initially, Ukrainian officials distanced themselves from the Russian sabotage units. However, on Tuesday, Andriy Chernyak from Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate acknowledged some form of cooperation with the Russian Volunteer Corps and Free Russia Legion. He clarified that Ukraine’s military was not directly involved, implying that the attack was the Russians’ own initiative.

Pro-Ukraine fighters appeared to use at least three American-made armored vehicles, known as MRAPs, during an incursion into Russia on Monday, pictures and videos verified by The New York Times reveal. Russia captured two of them, visual evidence shows. https://t.co/Peb08AgTU3

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 24, 2023

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office declined to comment on the Belgorod incursion and the use of American equipment.

The Russian Volunteer Corps, led by Denis Nikitin, includes self-proclaimed neo-Nazis. Another member identified in photographs is Russian Aleksandr Skachkov, a right-wing extremist. The Free Russia Legion, which claims official recognition from the Ukrainian military, was formed after the 2022 full-scale invasion and aims to fight against Putin’s armed forces.

Videos shared on their Telegram channels showed the fighters storming into Belgorod province, with some American-made armored vehicles marked with Ukrainian military insignia. Another video depicted these vehicles firing on Russian border guards.

The use of an abandoned American MaxxPro vehicle covered in pro-Russian graffiti and the Z logo was highlighted in a photo shared on Russian Telegram channels.

Nikitin has remained tight-lipped about the operation’s objective but previously stated that his unit’s incursions into Russia aimed to expose the country’s weak defenses and inspire compatriots to rise against the Kremlin.