Galery

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The similarities between Ukrainian fascists and Golden Dawn are many. It would not be an exaggeration to say that what is happening in Ukraine today is the dream of Golden Dawn.

The graffiti on the walls of buildings in Ukraine declare the support of neo-Nazis for their Greek ideological comrades. The symbol of the "Right sector" is next to the symbol of Golden Dawn.

Despite the fact that Golden Dawn traditionally has links with Russian nationalists, a few days after the murder of Kapelonis and Foundoulis, their Ukrainian ideological comrades gathered in front of the Greek Embassy in Kiev. Hooded and dressed in military uniforms, they raised flags of the Golden Dawn party and posters with pictures of the two killed Golden Dawn members. As Ethnos newspaper revealed, members of the Ukrainian neo-Nazi Party “Freedom” travelled to Cyprus on 27 June 2013 and visited the offices of ELAM, the brother movement of Golden Dawn. There, they negotiated a joint activity and the visit was welcomed by Nikos Mihaloliakos...

"Freedom" is the most famous Nationalist Party of Ukraine, which plays a major role in street clashes. It is followed by the far right party "Right sector," to which many Ukrainian neo-Nazis belong and who are now in parliament. It stems directly from "the security groups" of World War II, created by the Nazi invaders - just as happened in Greece, where such groups were also created and which are honoured each year by Golden Dawn. Until 2004, "Freedom" was a purely national socialist party, like the party of Hitler. However, in 2012, it denied the past and won 8.5% in the elections - 37 seats. Thus, the far right was included in the political life of Ukraine. Mihaloliakos’s party acted with almost the same methods and won the same percentage in 2012.

The visit to Cyprus

The "Right Sector" includes frustrated citizens and hooligans with nationalistic and xenophobic views, like the "Blue Flag" of Ilias Panaiotaros. This is not the only similarity between the two parties. "Attack groups" march on the streets of major cities of Ukraine, wearing helmets and hoods and holding shields. The groups aim at foreigners and people with pro-Russian and pro-European sentiment. At the same time, province members of the extreme right, which obviously has a military structure, are trained in empty barracks. There, they organise dormitories and provide shelter "only to Ukrainians", where they teach them the Nazi doctrine. The sponsors of the organization remain unknown.

Members of the "right sector" play a major role in the events in Ukraine. Armed, they are the first line in battles with the police, as well as in the occupation of public buildings.

The visit to Cyprus

Leaders of Golden Dawn and the Cyprus National People's Front ELAM recognized their closeness to the Nazi "Freedom" publicly. During the visit of Ukrainian MPs Andriy Misenko and Yuri Levchenko at the offices of the central government of ELAM in Lefkosia, the importance of the links between nationalist movements was stressed, as well as that of the cooperation which springs from their ideology.

In his speech, Stratos Karanikolaou, head of ELAM’s international relations presented the "History of the Ukrainian nationalist movement and how today they have become the fourth political force in Ukraine with 37 MPs" making parallels with Golden Dawn. In conclusion, President of ELAM Christos Christou sent Nikos Mihaloliakos’s regards and pointed out "the commonalities between Ukrainian and Greek people."

Their envy in terms of the role which the far right plays there is visible in comments on nationalist pages, and some say that they will travel to the Ukrainian front...

Therefore, statements of Golden Dawn members about "the mortal danger for the Greeks in Ukraine" sound like a joke. They are late but were forced to turn against their ideological brethren.

By trying to convince people that the swastika is an ancient Greek symbol and not a Nazi one, and that the greeting "Heil Hitler" is simply a raised hand to God, Golden Dawn members deny the Nazi profile again and "forget" the party’s resemblance to "Freedom".