Ban on “Freedom of Russia”
Moscow bans Russian legion fighting for Kiev
03/16/2023 9:31 p.m
They are said to be “motivated and professional” warriors: a legion of a few hundred Russians fighting Kremlin troops in Ukraine. In her homeland she is now classified as a “terrorist” organization.
Moscow has declared the Russian “Freedom of Russia” legion, which is fighting on the side of Ukraine, a “terrorist” organization. This bans the organization’s activities “on Russian territory,” according to Russian news agencies. Members and supporters face severe penalties up to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court of Russia issued the ban at the request of the Prosecutor General, his office said in the online service Telegram. The Legion was formed “to undermine the constitutional foundations of Russia, to overthrow power in the country, including by committing acts of terrorism,” the statement said.
Composed of Russian fighters, the legion is part of the international volunteer corps within the Ukrainian army, its emblem is a punching fist with the words “Freedom” and “Russia” written above it. It was founded at the beginning of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine.
Recruits are screened before admission
The Legion’s spokesman, alias Caesar, said in an interview with AFP in January that the Legion was made up of “several hundred” Russians. Some members would fight in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. There they fought under Ukrainian command mainly in artillery.
“They are motivated and professional fighters who do their jobs perfectly,” says a Ukrainian officer who wishes to remain anonymous. Recruits are carefully screened before they are admitted – through interviews and a lie detector test – to eliminate the risk of infiltration. The “Freedom of Russia” legion mainly publishes propaganda videos on Telegram, Twitter and Instagram and claims to have received thousands of applications.
According to Ukrainian military expert Oleg Zhdanov, the legion has above all political significance: “It’s good for Ukraine if it can show that Russians also support democracy and freedom and are fighting on the right side,” he says. However, the Russian fighters “due to their small numbers do not have much influence” on the course of the war.