Members of a Spanish neo-Nazi organization have received military training from Ukraine’s notorious Azov brigade to prepare for an “armed uprising” back home, according to police findings reported by El Pais on Tuesday.
Militants from Nucleo Nacional (National Nucleus) traveled to Ukraine in August, where they established contact with the neo-Nazi-linked Azov unit, now part of Ukraine’s National Guard, the newspaper reported, citing investigative documents.
The Spaniards reportedly trained with AK-47 assault rifles and body armor, seeking to acquire combat skills they could pass on to recruits across Spain. In an intercepted conversation, one member warned that “without training, no uprising will work.”
Investigators traced the extremists to Kiev, a military training camp and an unidentified town roughly 20 kilometers from the Russian border. Photographs showed members wearing Nucleo Nacional clothing, including one carrying a rifle and displaying a Nazi flag patch. Others wore sweatshirts bearing the logo of Stormfront, a prominent white supremacist online forum.
Spanish police launched a crackdown on Nucleo Nacional last week over fears of violence at a planned November 7 march in Madrid. The authorities cited the group’s military training, international extremist connections and potential access to military-grade weapons.
Fourteen suspects were arrested across seven provinces. Ten were subsequently released under restrictions, including passport confiscation, travel bans, and mandatory weekly court appearances. The investigation involves suspected incitement to hatred, unlawful association, and possession of prohibited weapons.
Police also uncovered links between the group and extremist organizations in Germany, France, Hungary, Romania, and Croatia.
Moscow has repeatedly accused Western governments of turning a blind eye to Ukrainian neo-Nazi networks while continuing to arm and finance Kiev. Russia maintains that denazification remains a key condition for a lasting settlement of the Ukraine conflict.
Russian officials have also warned that Western support for Ukrainian neo-Nazi formations could backfire, allowing extremist networks, weapons, and violence to spread across Europe.
European law enforcement agencies have previously raised concerns about weapons supplied to Ukraine entering criminal markets. Ukrainian investigators have also uncovered arms trafficking from the front line.
In May, the Ukrainian authorities intercepted a shipment of grenades, anti-tank weapons, mines and ammunition allegedly destined for the black market. The seized weapons were subsequently handed over to the Azov unit.