Yesterday, I dismantled the claim that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was justified by NATO expansion. Today, let’s tackle another major propaganda line: the idea that Ukraine needed to be “de-Nazified.”

This claim is not just misleading—it’s a deliberate distortion of history designed to justify a war of aggression. The reality? Ukraine is not a Nazi-controlled state, and Russia’s own military forces have far stronger ties to neo-Nazi groups than Ukraine does. Let’s break this myth down step by step.

Did Ukraine Support Nazi Germany in World War II?

One common argument for Russia’s “de-Nazification” narrative is that some Ukrainians collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II. While this is partially true, it’s an oversimplified and misleading version of history.

Ukraine Under Soviet Rule: The Holodomor and Stalin’s Repression

Before World War II, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union and suffered terribly under Joseph Stalin. The Holodomor (1932-1933)—a man-made famine caused by brutal Soviet policies—killed an estimated 3 to 7 million Ukrainians. Stalin’s purges also targeted Ukrainian intellectuals, religious leaders, and anyone suspected of harboring nationalist sentiments.

So, when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, some Ukrainians saw the Germans as potential liberators from Soviet oppression. This is where groups like the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its military wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), come into the picture. Some factions of the OUN did collaborate with the Nazis early on, hoping to gain independence from the Soviet Union.

However, this collaboration was limited and pragmatic, not ideological. Many Ukrainians who initially cooperated with the Nazis quickly realized that Hitler had no intention of granting Ukraine independence. Nazi Germany viewed all Slavic peoples, including Ukrainians, as “subhuman.” Ukrainians were subjected to mass executions, entire villages were burned, and millions were sent to forced labor camps.

Ukraine’s Role in Fighting the Nazis

While some nationalist factions tried to use Germany to break free from Soviet control, the vast majority of Ukrainians fought against the Nazis.

• Millions of Ukrainians served in the Soviet Red Army, fighting against Nazi forces on the Eastern Front.
• Ukraine suffered enormous losses—between 5 and 7 million Ukrainians died in World War II.
• Ukrainian cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa were devastated by the war and brutal Nazi occupation.

So, while some Ukrainian nationalist groups had complicated wartime histories, it is flat-out false to claim that Ukraine, as a whole, was aligned with Nazi Germany. The vast majority of Ukrainians fought and suffered under both the Nazis and the Soviets.

Is the Azov Battalion a Nazi Branch of the Ukrainian Army?

One of the key talking points used by Russian propaganda is the Azov Battalion, a Ukrainian military unit that has been accused of harboring far-right elements. Let’s look at the facts.

The Origins of Azov

The Azov Battalion was formed in 2014 as a volunteer militia responding to Russia’s invasion of Crimea and the Kremlin-backed separatist movements in eastern Ukraine. It is true that some of its early members had ties to far-right ideologies.

However, this does not mean that Azov represents the Ukrainian government or military as a whole. In 2015, Azov was officially integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard, meaning it now operates under strict military command and government oversight. Since then, Ukraine has taken active steps to remove extremist elements from the battalion and broader military forces.

Neo-Nazism in Russia’s Military Forces

If we’re going to talk about neo-Nazis in the military, Russia has a much bigger problem than Ukraine.

• The Wagner Group, Russia’s notorious private military force, has well-documented ties to neo-Nazism. Wagner fighters have been photographed with Nazi symbols and tattoos, and the group’s late leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, openly associated with far-right extremists.
• The Rusich Group, a Russian paramilitary unit, openly embraces neo-Nazi ideology, using white supremacist symbols and committing war crimes in Ukraine.

Russia’s so-called “de-Nazification” mission is pure hypocrisy when its own forces include openly far-right extremists and war criminals.

Why Russia’s “De-Nazification” Justification is a Smokescreen

Ukraine’s Jewish President and a Democratic Government

If Ukraine were truly run by Nazis, it would be pretty strange for its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to be Jewish. His family suffered in the Holocaust, and his election in 2019—by a landslide—proves that far-right nationalism does not dominate Ukrainian politics.

Russia’s Real Motives: Imperialism, Not “De-Nazification”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine isn’t about “de-Nazifying” anything. It’s about:

• Wiping out Ukrainian sovereignty and reasserting Russian control over its former Soviet republics.
• Punishing Ukraine for its Western ties and its desire to join the EU.
• Expanding Russian territory—especially in the mineral-rich regions of eastern Ukraine.

Putin’s use of “de-Nazification” as an excuse for war is just a propaganda tool meant to justify mass killings, bombings of civilian areas, and a brutal attempt to erase Ukrainian identity.

The Bottom Line

No, Ukraine is not a Nazi-controlled state. No, Russia is not “de-Nazifying” anything. This is just another Kremlin lie used to justify a war of aggression.

The real “Nazification” happening in this war? Russia’s authoritarianism, ethnic targeting, and imperial ambitions echo some of the darkest moments of the 20th century. If Putin truly cared about fighting fascism, he’d start by cleaning house in his own military.

Ukraine is fighting for its independence, democracy, and survival. Russia is fighting for control, destruction, and conquest. That’s the reality.