I remember seeing a BBC documentary on Football ( Soccer) Hooligans maybe 20 years ago.
The British had a reputation for such in the 70s 80s, some elements identified as “ skinheads” and would travel to have a fight before a football match. This is well documented.
The documentary moved on to Poland/Ukraine and the rise of 21st Century hooligans. It suddenly made the British version look like a kindergarten squabble.
The members of the units were paramilitary, carried a plethora of weapons idolised Nazi paraphernalia and Figures and lived for the violence they would inflict on rivals.
Unbelievably the behaviour was encouraged by local law enforcement, football club owners and it would seem the Ukrainian culture. It was also normal for huge nazi banners to float around the football stadia.
In Germany and most of the west references to Nazi association is shut down by the state, in Ukraine they allowed it to flourish.
I remember seeing a BBC documentary on Football ( Soccer) Hooligans maybe 20 years ago.
The British had a reputation for such in the 70s 80s, some elements identified as “ skinheads” and would travel to have a fight before a football match. This is well documented.
The documentary moved on to Poland/Ukraine and the rise of 21st Century hooligans. It suddenly made the British version look like a kindergarten squabble.
The members of the units were paramilitary, carried a plethora of weapons idolised Nazi paraphernalia and Figures and lived for the violence they would inflict on rivals.
Unbelievably the behaviour was encouraged by local law enforcement, football club owners and it would seem the Ukrainian culture. It was also normal for huge nazi banners to float around the football stadia.
In Germany and most of the west references to Nazi association is shut down by the state, in Ukraine they allowed it to flourish.
That's what stands out about it in Ukraine. At minimum it's tolerated, at worst it's encouraged.