The Proud Boys’ Fabricated Expedition to Ukraine

After months of rising tensions and Russian military buildup along the Ukrainian-Russian border, US intelligence claims of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine were borne out. With images pouring in of bombed out apartment buildings, the arming of everyday Ukrainian civilians, subways-turned-bomb shelters filled to the brim, the world has its eyes set firmly on Ukraine. Since 2014, the fighting between the two brother nations has drawn the attention of far-right, neo-nazi groups and individuals. The opportunity to network offline, partake in real military fighting, and gain authentic tactical training to bring back home was too good of an opportunity for these extremists to pass up. Now, as the fighting escalates to a critical, all-out-war level, people have been wondering if this will bring about a new flood of foreign fighters. Almost immediately after news spread across the globe that Russia had, in fact, invaded Ukraine, Proud Boys’ telegram channels began posting about traveling to Ukraine to fight alongside Russian soldiers.