Right Sector
Right Sector (Ukrainian: Пра́вий се́ктор) is a Ukrainian opposition group consisting mostly of young men with right-wing views.[1] The members come from different regions of Ukraine and are both Ukrainophone and Russophone.[1] The backbone of the organisation is formed by Russian-speaking football fans sharing nationalist views.[1] According to Right Sector leader, Andriy Tarasenko, the organisation was set up in late November 2013 and "most participants are just ordinary citizens having no relation to any organisations" although the organization includes several small ultra-right groups, among them Trident, Patriot of Ukraine, White Hammer and Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian National Self Defence.[2]
Right Sector was one of the main actors of the January 2014 Hrushevskoho Street riots during Euromaidan.[1][3] Unlike most Euromaidan supporters most of the Right Sector activists do not support Ukrainian EU Membership, since they consider the European Union (EU) to be an "oppressor of European nations".[1] The group believed that situation in Ukraine during Euromaidan was an opportunity "to destroy the state skeleton" and start building a new state.[1] Right Sector cooperated with the main Euromaidan actors, but often sharply differed with their views.[4]
Right Sector does not associate itself with the Ukrainian nationalist Svoboda party, which it considers to be too liberal and conformist.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Profile: Ukraine's key protest figures, BBC News (27 January 2014)
- ↑ Groups at the sharp end of Ukraine unrest, BBC News (1 February 2014)
- ↑ "Right Sector confirms its participation in events at Hrushevskoho". Radio Svoboda. 23 January 2014.
- ↑ Radicals a wild card in Ukraine’s protests, The Washington Post (2 February 2014)
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