Investigators across Europe have dismantled several neo-Nazi groups over the past 18 months—all connected to the far-right group known as The Base. 

The founder of The Base is an American living in Russia, and the group has been promoting violence against Ukrainian politicians and government infrastructure since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The New York Times cited ISD research in its reporting of the recent arrests and interviewed ISD Senior Manager Steven Rai to understand the relationship between Russia and The Base.

Steven explained to the outlet that Russia may be offering more to The Base than simply a safe haven for its founder. 

“Another possibility is that the relationship extends beyond tacit approval,” Steven said, “with Russia offering more direct and covert forms of support.” 

The full article is available on The New York Times.