WARNING: SOME OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE MAY BE UPSETTING
In the photo, the Russian fighter, wearing a ski mask and a bulletproof vest and carrying a Kalashnikov, poses proudly in front of three bodies on the ground. The three dead men are all dressed in themilitaryfatigues complete with a yellow armband worn by Ukrainian soldiers, though they have been stripped of theirweapons. The photo, which was posted onTelegramon November 15, is captioned: Take this as an example. Thats how an army of victors takes photos, not victims.
According to pro-Russian bloggerButusovPlus, the photo was taken in the region ofPokrovsk, though it is impossible to independently verify this location.
A few hours later, the photo was followed by a second post, this time one that called on followers to send similar images in order to obtain an unspecified sum of cryptocurrency.
The message goes on to become even more macabre. We are announcing a competition. The first three people who send a photo of prisoners who have clearly been executed will get a crypto money reward from Rusich.
The post has since been deleted by the administrator of the Telegram channel.
The Telegram channel that has been sharing these photos is unfortunately well-known. Since it was created, it has featured content promoting war crimes, including decapitations, the humiliation of prisoners and executions.
These atrocities are the hallmark of Rusich, a group of Russian mercenaries who regularly display neo-Nazi references. They became well-known inDonbasin 2014, then acted alongside the Russian mercenary operation, the Wagner Group. Currently, members of this group are active on the Ukrainian front. While it is difficult to estimate how many of them there are,analystsagree that Rusich had a few dozen fighters in 2022.
Their aim is to terrorise their adversary
Today, Rusich has become a byword for terror, says Candace Rondeaux, a professor atArizona State University:
Neo-Nazi ideology
The members of the unit regularly show off ultra-nationalist and neo-Nazi symbols on Telegram. Case in point: the badge worn by members of the unit, which features an ultra-nationalist symbol called theKolovratsuperimposed on top of the Russian imperial flag (black, yellow and white).
Ricardo Parreira, an expert in far-right symbols, says that the Kolovrat has become a sort of banner for neo-Nazi groups in EasternEurope:
The men in Rusich also wear other symbols favoured by neo-Nazis around the world. Rusich fighters often flaunt the Tyr and Odal runes from Norse mythology.
Parreira says that these symbols are used by many ultra-nationalist groups around the world:
Rusich members also seem to enjoy making references to the Third Reich. In a Telegram post from May 30, 2025, fighters from the unit wished one of their fellow fighters a happy birthday by adding an SS symbol to the wing of a drone.
One of the founders and the current leader of Rusich,Alexey Milchakov, stated publicly in an interview that he considers himself a Nazi and not a patriot or a nationalist.
He also called for the extermination of Ukrainians, so they can no longer raise their children. Ukrainian investigative groupMolfarreported that Milchakov is believed to have cut off the ears of Ukrainian fighters in 2014 before publishing images of these atrocities on VKontakte.
According to the pro-Ukrainian ButusovPlus, Milchakov is actually deployed with the 417th Reconnaissance Battalion of the42nd Guards Motor Rifle Divisionwithin the Russian army. According to theInstitute for the Study of War, Milchakovs unit was active to the west of the town ofZaporizhzhiain October 2025.
War crimes posted on social media
Throughout its existence, the Rusich groups cruelty has set it apart from other Russian mercenary groups. In 2017, one of its membersposed proudlyholding the severed head of a man near Palmyra,Syria.
The administrators of the Rusich Telegram channel continue to post scenes of horror. On November 26, 2024, the account posted an image of a severed head with a severed hand stuffed into its mouth. We dont know where this image was taken.
In July 2024, the group posted an image of the body of a man lying in the middle of the street with a sword stuck into his chest. The body is partially dressed in Ukrainian Army military fatigues. An image that the account said was a surprise for its followers.
Similar photos and videos of crimes posted on social media were used in the trial of one of Rusichs leaders,Yan Petrovsky. Petrovsky was arrested inFinlandon July 20, 2023. He was sentenced to life in prison in Finland for four war crimes that he committed in easternUkrainein 2014.
Rusich perpetuates the idea that you can act in total impunity
For Rondeaux, these posts are part of a well-planned communication strategy within the group:
This article has been translated fromthe original in French.
Originally published on France24
