Playing to Extremes: Russia’s Choices to Support Western Political Extremists and Paramilitary Groups

Abstract

Russia likely selects extremists to support in Europe based on access and compatibility with the group’s views on the West. Russia also prizes support for its side in the war in Ukraine. The Ukraine war is key to the identification and recruitment of Western extremist groups by Russia. Russian assistance consists of providing propaganda support, finances, weapons, and paramilitary training. Russia likely does this to undermine the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), and other nations they perceive as moving toward NATO and the EU. Russian support enhances a group’s effectiveness even if extremist operations often end in failure or inaction. European nations can assess if the Russian state is supporting an extremist group within their country using a provided list of indicators as one line of effort. The indicator list and subsequent assessment can assist in arguments for technical surveillance and guide the questioning of human sources to blunt this threat.