31:
71:
446:
55:
394:, or "being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the ."
437:, a member of the UDV, a military doctor, Yuri Yevich, was arrested for “discrediting the Russian armed forces,” much to the dismay of Russian milbloggers. On July 21, 2023, Boroday's vehicle in a UDV convoy just south of Bakhmut would be shelled by Ukrainian forces. Boroday would survive with non life-threatening injuries.
30:
496:
that also provided the fighters with a pension, as they were non-state actors that would otherwise receive no recognition or reward for their services to Russia. In part due to this, the
Serbian government has banned most of its leaders from entering the country, not seeking to spark an international
532:
After the commencement of the
Russian Invasion of Ukraine, the UDV network in Sprska, Serbia, and Montenegro began sending ethnic Serbian volunteers to fight for Russian forces despite fighting in a foreign war being illegal in both Serbia and Bosnia. Membership exploded with a massive rise in
300:. The UDV acts as a veterans organization, offering pensions, benefits, and payment for the Russian volunteers that fought the Ukrainian army. During the interwar period from 2014 to 2022 the UDV also acted as a pressure group within Russia in favor for recognition and annexation of the
308:. Also during the interwar period the UDV largely functioned to retain veterans, hosting live fire training drills and hosting fraternal events. Additionally, the UDV served to retain the combat efficiency of veterans from the war in the Donbas for future operations against Ukraine.
491:
that they are "Muslim media" that "publish unverified, anti-Serb, anti-Russian and anti-Orthodox stories. I can see no way that I could talk to you.” The
Serbian chapter was formed in 2015 as a fraternal organization for Serbian volunteers on the Russian side during the
1053:
413:
units, BARS-20 "Grom", BARS-9 "Eagle", and BARS-13 "Russian Legion", as well as the "Sever" formation, the "Tsentr" formation, and "St. George's
Brigade". On February 4, 2023, the UDV held a "congress" in Russian-occupied
529:. The UDV successfully lobbied the Sprska government to name April 12 as "The Day of Russian Volunteers" a national holiday where Srpska officials meet with the UDV and other Russian organizations in Višegrad.
430:
was refusing to service its members due to their lack of status in the
Russian army. The hospital in question primarily services Russian military personnel severely wounded during the invasion.
296:, the UDV was founded on August 27, 2015, with between 30,000 and 40,000 Russian residents being eligible to join, despite Russia maintaining that no Russians fought in Ukraine during the
1058:
422:
were going to be merged into a so-called "Russian
Volunteer Corps" which would merge Redut and the UDV. The document establishing the corps was signed by retired GRU Colonel
390:
government shortly after the invasion for its support of the invasion as well as performing reconnaissance for the
Russian army, training Russian conscripts, and violating
359:. At said congress Boroday stated that he was going to shift the UDV to be more overtly political and more active in the Russian political life, aiming to take part in the
276:
728:
1073:
533:
participation with
Serbian far-right groups, who, despite flying flags with swastikas, claimed that Putin is fighting Ukraine's “Nazi pro-Western government”.
587:
868:
760:
522:
521:. The UDV also acts as a political pressure group in both Srpska and Serbia to move both states away from the west and closer to Russia, being staunchly
840:
556:
457:
The UDV also maintains a presence in the
Balkans, made up of Serbian volunteers to the Russian separatists that also actively participated in the
74:
994:
812:
1063:
319:
was one of the leading figures in the UDV from 2014 to 2015. Milchakov, after his time fighting as a separatist in the Donbas, returned to
967:
478:
419:
335:
386:. Before the Russian invasion the UDV claimed to have had 49 chapters and over 14,500 members. The UBV would be sanctioned by the
382:
The UDV organizing units for future combat operations in
February 2022 was one of the early warning signs for the impending
939:
1068:
1020:
641:
469:
cemetery for Russian volunteers to Serbia that were fatalities during the war, and maintains contacts in Serbia through
398:
305:
301:
383:
252:
158:
701:
426:, a stringent supporter of the UDV in its earlier years. In September 2022 the UDV complained that a hospital in
360:
375:. Malofeev also gave a speech at the congress where he stated that the UDV fought for the defense of the entire
873:
364:
192:
315:
with several instances of members wearing swastika patches when being interviewed. Prominent Russian neo-nazi
673:
482:
470:
502:
845:
501:, instead keeping the UDV in the neighboring Republika Srpska. the UDV also maintains close ties to the
423:
208:
651:
592:
367:. Additionally, at the meeting, the UDV's council of commanders voted against sending UDV members to
342:
216:
212:
372:
356:
345:
the UDV asked the Russian government if they could be sent to fight the protesters in the streets.
148:
514:
247:, and has been used as a mercenary force and platform by the Russian government for operations in
196:
391:
817:
706:
678:
646:
434:
297:
264:
244:
588:"Deputies With Combat Experience: Union of Donbas Volunteers Looks to Enter Russian Politics"
901:
561:
474:
462:
353:
348:
The UDV's sixth "congress of commanders" was held in the Tsargrad Hotel in Russian occupied
320:
316:
280:
204:
200:
180:
163:
787:
481:. When asked for comment about their presence in Serbia, the UDV's leader in the Balkans,
896:
1025:
972:
944:
498:
487:
450:
445:
284:
70:
1047:
493:
458:
427:
410:
397:
The UDV has maintained a unified command structure for its units, similar to Russian
376:
272:
153:
138:
841:"Russia Refuses To Treat Its "Volunteers" Injured In Ukraine - Defense Intelligence"
402:
324:
268:
94:
84:
995:"Government Representatives are coming to celebrate the Day of Russian Volunteers"
279:(DPR). However, Boroday is a political front, as the real leader and organizer is
869:"Russia's airborne troops sent to Bakhmut to reinforce regular army, not Wagner"
813:"How Russia's GRU Set Up A Fake Private Military Company For Its War In Ukraine"
729:"Cossack troops, Donbas veterans might start helping disperse Moscow's protests"
466:
331:
220:
897:"Former "PM" of so-called Donetsk People's Republic came under fire in Ukraine"
518:
510:
765:
733:
312:
642:"Organization Launched To Support Russian 'Volunteers' In Ukraine Conflict"
1054:
Military units and formations of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
513:. Additionally, the UDV in Serbia's leadership were also involved in the
415:
368:
761:"Russian paramilitary forces train for combat as Ukraine tensions mount"
334:, a volunteer group that is also a member of Redut that has ties to the
526:
349:
248:
738:
387:
240:
59:
54:
968:"Marking Territory: How Russian Monuments Dominate a Bosnian Town"
506:
444:
406:
614:
619:
557:"Russian Armed Volunteers Prepare for Action in Eastern Ukraine"
418:, where more than 450 fighters and officers announced that all
292:
473:, a Russian cultural organization that coordinates between the
255:, when the UDV's members were called back into active service.
453:
militia in the Donbas in 2015, affiliated with the Balkan UDV
674:"Who Are The Neo-Nazis Fighting For Russia In Ukraine?"
461:
with several high-ranking members participating in the
940:"Ukraine War Veterans Bind Russia and Bosnian Serbs"
239:) is a paramilitary veterans association founded in
186:
174:
169:
144:
134:
126:
118:
110:
100:
90:
80:
65:
48:
40:
18:
477:and Russian government and is affiliated with the
465:. The UDV also maintains a Russian section of the
330:One of the principle groups within the UDV is the
1021:"Serb Volunteers Answer Call to Fight in Ukraine"
509:, that consists of Russian expatriates living in
106:Maintain separatist veterans for future conflict.
517:, a Russian volunteer group that fought in the
277:Prime Minister of the Donetsk People's Republic
104:Enforce Russian command over separatist forces.
702:"Who's Who Among Russia's Mercenary Companies"
336:Union of Cossack Warriors of Russia and Abroad
8:
581:
579:
1059:Paramilitary organizations based in Russia
363:as a political party, in a coalition with
788:"ORGANIZATION UNION OF DONBAS VOLUNTEERS"
615:"Donbas Volunteer Union set up in Russia"
290:According to Russian state media agency
542:
1074:Separatist forces of the war in Donbas
550:
548:
546:
15:
933:
931:
929:
927:
925:
923:
921:
919:
7:
409:. Confirmed UDV units include three
243:in 2015 for Russian veterans in the
75:Russian people's militias in Ukraine
311:Many members of the UDV are openly
479:Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
14:
283:, a longtime advisor and ally of
700:Krutov, Mark; Dobrynin, Sergei.
69:
53:
29:
352:on October 31, 2020, hosted by
338:which is also led by Borodai.
1:
399:private military contractors
263:The UDV would be founded by
1064:Pro-Russian militant groups
384:Russian invasion of Ukraine
253:Russian invasion of Ukraine
233:Union of Donbass volunteers
159:Russian invasion of Ukraine
19:Union of Donbass Volunteers
1090:
24:Союз добровольцев Донбасса
449:Members of the far-right
361:2021 State Duma elections
306:Luhansk People's Republic
302:Donetsk People's Republic
28:
23:
1019:Omerovic, Azra Husaric.
874:The New Voice of Ukraine
122:"Council of Commanders"
895:TYSHCHENKO, KATERYNA.
454:
846:Ukrainian News Agency
792:sanctions.nazk.gov.ua
483:Aleksandar Kravchenko
448:
652:Agence France-Presse
593:Jamestown Foundation
420:"volunteer" militias
343:2019 Moscow protests
1069:Russian mercenaries
503:Balkan Cossack Army
373:Republic of Artsakh
357:Konstantin Malofeev
149:Russo-Ukrainian War
966:McCulloug, Megan.
759:Volochine, Elena.
672:Kozhurin, Dmitry.
497:incident with the
455:
424:Aleksei Kondratyev
275:party, and former
267:, a member of the
818:Radio Free Europe
707:Radio Free Europe
679:Radio Free Europe
647:Radio Free Europe
435:Battle of Bakhmut
298:War in the Donbas
265:Alexander Boroday
245:War in the Donbas
226:
225:
193:Alexander Tkachev
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839:Zubkova, Daria.
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562:The Moscow Times
552:
475:Republika Srpska
463:Bosnian genocide
354:Russian oligarch
321:Saint Petersburg
317:Alexey Milchakov
281:Vladislav Surkov
209:Sergey Dubinskiy
205:Alexey Milchakov
201:Vladislav Surkov
181:Vladislav Surkov
164:Syrian civil war
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44:August 27, 2015
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5:
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1026:Balkan Insight
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999:Sarajevo Times
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973:Balkan Insight
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945:Balkan Insight
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867:Sonko, Alona.
859:
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586:Hurska, Alla.
575:
555:Sauer, Pjotr.
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499:European Union
488:Balkan Insight
451:Serbian Action
442:
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285:Vladimir Putin
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217:Vasily Geranin
213:Andrei Pinchuk
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494:War in Donbas
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468:
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459:Yugoslav Wars
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428:Rostov-on-Don
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377:Russian World
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328:
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323:to found the
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278:
274:
273:United Russia
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228:Military unit
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154:War in Donbas
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139:Saint Michael
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114:14,500 (2022)
113:
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560:
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515:Kosovo Front
486:
456:
432:
403:Wagner Group
401:such as the
396:
381:
347:
340:
329:
325:Rusich Group
310:
291:
289:
269:Russian Duma
262:
236:
232:
230:
119:Part of
95:Paramilitary
85:Army reserve
1032:15 February
1004:15 February
908:15 February
880:15 February
852:15 February
824:15 February
772:15 February
744:15 February
713:15 February
685:15 February
657:15 February
599:15 February
505:, based in
433:During the
371:to aid the
341:During the
332:Don Brigade
251:before the
221:Igor Girkin
197:Oleg Mamiev
145:Engagements
127:Nickname(s)
1048:Categories
797:29 January
626:13 January
568:13 January
537:References
519:Kosovo War
511:Montenegro
392:E.O. 14024
189:commanders
170:Commanders
66:Allegiance
979:6 January
951:6 January
766:France 24
734:Kyiv Post
523:anti-NATO
313:neo-nazis
177:commander
467:Višegrad
416:Mariupol
388:Canadian
369:Karabakh
304:and the
271:for the
527:anti-EU
485:, told
350:Donetsk
259:History
249:Ukraine
187:Notable
175:Current
49:Country
41:Founded
739:Meduza
365:Rodina
241:Russia
135:Patron
81:Branch
60:Russia
507:Kotor
471:Zavet
407:Redut
1034:2024
1006:2024
981:2024
953:2024
910:2024
882:2024
854:2024
826:2024
799:2024
774:2024
746:2024
715:2024
687:2024
659:2024
628:2024
620:TASS
601:2024
570:2024
525:and
411:BARS
293:TASS
231:The
111:Size
101:Role
91:Type
35:Logo
405:or
237:UDV
130:UDV
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