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A Russian MMA fighter with numerous neo-Nazi tattoos has been awarded a medal for his role in the ‘denazification of Ukraine’.
Since his country’s invasion of Ukraine early last year, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly cited the need to ‘rid the Eastern European nation of Nazism’ as the motive behind the war that has since cost countless civilian lives.
Just last month, Putin used Holocaust Remembrance Day to once again push forth that narrative, which has been widely disputed.
“Forgetting the lessons of history leads to the repetition of terrible tragedies,” Putin said in a statement. “This is evidenced by the crimes against civilians, ethnic cleansing and punitive actions organized by neo-Nazis in Ukraine. It is against that evil that our soldiers are bravely fighting.”
But many documented actions since the invasion have contradicted Putin’s public claims, and that now includes the awarding of a medal to a mixed martial artist sporting neo-Nazi tattoos and with a history of far-right extremism.
Mikhail Turkanov (7-6), a welterweight fighter from St. Petersburg, was reportedly fined multiple times in the past owing to the artwork on his body, which includes neo-Nazi symbols such as swastikas, a Celtic cross, SS bolts, and a Black Sun/Sonnenrad.
Despite his history and association with neo-Nazisim, Turkanov was recently awarded the Order of Courage medal by the North Slavic Community. Per Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazansky, the recognition was a reward for the fighter’s “success in the denazification of Ukraine.”
The group, which brands itself the “military-patriotic society of modern Cossacks,” announced the award on social media. The post includes images of Turkanov in military uniform, with the medal attached.
Turkanov isn’t the only MMA fighter to be awarded a medal for his role in the Russian war effort.
Last month, welterweight Hayk Gasparyan was given an Order of Courage medal by Putin himself. The Armenian was serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery at the time of his conscription, which saw him and other imprisoned criminals join the Wagner group, a band of mercenaries created through the mass recruitment of over 40,000 Russian prisoners.
MMA Fighter Denies Nazi Link Despite Tattoos
Despite his tattoos and history of far-right extremism, Turkanov has previously attempted to dismiss the notion he’s a neo-Nazi.
The Russian, who fought under the nickname “The Pitbull,” told Match TV in 2019 that his tattoos weren’t a demonstration of white supremacy, and rather support for his “pagan” views. That’s despite one tattoo being of the numbers 88, standing for ‘Heil Hitler’.
“All this comes from ignorance. That Hitler used an ancient symbol means nothing,” Turkanov said. “For example, the same swastika that I have on my tattoo was depicted on Russian banknotes under the Provisional Government. Yes, it has been used in many places. My tattoos are my business. I am not promoting anything, and I am not shouting any slogans.”
In professional MMA, Turkanov holds a 7-6 record and has competed under a number of promotional banners, most notably the Moscow-based AMC Fight Nights. In his sole outing in the organization, “The Pitbull” was emphatically knocked out in one round.
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Turkanov hasn’t competed since 2021, when he was submitted at MMA series 37. The result marked his third consecutive loss in the sport.
What are your thoughts on the Russian MMA fighter with neo-Nazi tattoos receiving a medal for his role in the ‘denazification of Ukraine’?
A Russian MMA fighter with numerous neo-Nazi tattoos has been awarded a medal for his role in the ‘denazification of Ukraine’.
Since his country’s invasion of Ukraine early last year, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly cited the need to ‘rid the Eastern European nation of Nazism’ as the motive behind the war that has since cost countless civilian lives.
Just last month, Putin used Holocaust Remembrance Day to once again push forth that narrative, which has been widely disputed.
“Forgetting the lessons of history leads to the repetition of terrible tragedies,” Putin said in a statement. “This is evidenced by the crimes against civilians, ethnic cleansing and punitive actions organized by neo-Nazis in Ukraine. It is against that evil that our soldiers are bravely fighting.”
[/quote]
But many documented actions since the invasion have contradicted Putin’s public claims, and that now includes the awarding of a medal to a mixed martial artist sporting neo-Nazi tattoos and with a history of far-right extremism.
Mikhail Turkanov (7-6), a welterweight fighter from St. Petersburg, was reportedly fined multiple times in the past owing to the artwork on his body, which includes neo-Nazi symbols such as swastikas, a Celtic cross, SS bolts, and a Black Sun/Sonnenrad.
Despite his history and association with neo-Nazisim, Turkanov was recently awarded the Order of Courage medal by the North Slavic Community. Per Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazansky, the recognition was a reward for the fighter’s “success in the denazification of Ukraine.”
The group, which brands itself the “military-patriotic society of modern Cossacks,” announced the award on social media. The post includes images of Turkanov in military uniform, with the medal attached.
Turkanov isn’t the only MMA fighter to be awarded a medal for his role in the Russian war effort.
Last month, welterweight Hayk Gasparyan was given an Order of Courage medal by Putin himself. The Armenian was serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery at the time of his conscription, which saw him and other imprisoned criminals join the Wagner group, a band of mercenaries created through the mass recruitment of over 40,000 Russian prisoners.
MMA Fighter Denies Nazi Link Despite Tattoos
Despite his tattoos and history of far-right extremism, Turkanov has previously attempted to dismiss the notion he’s a neo-Nazi.
The Russian, who fought under the nickname “The Pitbull,” told Match TV in 2019 that his tattoos weren’t a demonstration of white supremacy, and rather support for his “pagan” views. That’s despite one tattoo being of the numbers 88, standing for ‘Heil Hitler’.
“All this comes from ignorance. That Hitler used an ancient symbol means nothing,” Turkanov said. “For example, the same swastika that I have on my tattoo was depicted on Russian banknotes under the Provisional Government. Yes, it has been used in many places. My tattoos are my business. I am not promoting anything, and I am not shouting any slogans.”
In professional MMA, Turkanov holds a 7-6 record and has competed under a number of promotional banners, most notably the Moscow-based AMC Fight Nights. In his sole outing in the organization, “The Pitbull” was emphatically knocked out in one round.
Turkanov hasn’t competed since 2021, when he was submitted at MMA series 37. The result marked his third consecutive loss in the sport.
What are your thoughts on the Russian MMA fighter with neo-Nazi tattoos receiving a medal for his role in the ‘denazification of Ukraine’?
Click here to view the article.
Since his country’s invasion of Ukraine early last year, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly cited the need to ‘rid the Eastern European nation of Nazism’ as the motive behind the war that has since cost countless civilian lives.
Just last month, Putin used Holocaust Remembrance Day to once again push forth that narrative, which has been widely disputed.
“Forgetting the lessons of history leads to the repetition of terrible tragedies,” Putin said in a statement. “This is evidenced by the crimes against civilians, ethnic cleansing and punitive actions organized by neo-Nazis in Ukraine. It is against that evil that our soldiers are bravely fighting.”
But many documented actions since the invasion have contradicted Putin’s public claims, and that now includes the awarding of a medal to a mixed martial artist sporting neo-Nazi tattoos and with a history of far-right extremism.
Mikhail Turkanov (7-6), a welterweight fighter from St. Petersburg, was reportedly fined multiple times in the past owing to the artwork on his body, which includes neo-Nazi symbols such as swastikas, a Celtic cross, SS bolts, and a Black Sun/Sonnenrad.
Despite his history and association with neo-Nazisim, Turkanov was recently awarded the Order of Courage medal by the North Slavic Community. Per Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazansky, the recognition was a reward for the fighter’s “success in the denazification of Ukraine.”
The group, which brands itself the “military-patriotic society of modern Cossacks,” announced the award on social media. The post includes images of Turkanov in military uniform, with the medal attached.
Turkanov isn’t the only MMA fighter to be awarded a medal for his role in the Russian war effort.
Last month, welterweight Hayk Gasparyan was given an Order of Courage medal by Putin himself. The Armenian was serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery at the time of his conscription, which saw him and other imprisoned criminals join the Wagner group, a band of mercenaries created through the mass recruitment of over 40,000 Russian prisoners.
MMA Fighter Denies Nazi Link Despite Tattoos
Despite his tattoos and history of far-right extremism, Turkanov has previously attempted to dismiss the notion he’s a neo-Nazi.
The Russian, who fought under the nickname “The Pitbull,” told Match TV in 2019 that his tattoos weren’t a demonstration of white supremacy, and rather support for his “pagan” views. That’s despite one tattoo being of the numbers 88, standing for ‘Heil Hitler’.
“All this comes from ignorance. That Hitler used an ancient symbol means nothing,” Turkanov said. “For example, the same swastika that I have on my tattoo was depicted on Russian banknotes under the Provisional Government. Yes, it has been used in many places. My tattoos are my business. I am not promoting anything, and I am not shouting any slogans.”
In professional MMA, Turkanov holds a 7-6 record and has competed under a number of promotional banners, most notably the Moscow-based AMC Fight Nights. In his sole outing in the organization, “The Pitbull” was emphatically knocked out in one round.
[embedded content]
Turkanov hasn’t competed since 2021, when he was submitted at MMA series 37. The result marked his third consecutive loss in the sport.
What are your thoughts on the Russian MMA fighter with neo-Nazi tattoos receiving a medal for his role in the ‘denazification of Ukraine’?
Since his country’s invasion of Ukraine early last year, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly cited the need to ‘rid the Eastern European nation of Nazism’ as the motive behind the war that has since cost countless civilian lives.
Just last month, Putin used Holocaust Remembrance Day to once again push forth that narrative, which has been widely disputed.
“Forgetting the lessons of history leads to the repetition of terrible tragedies,” Putin said in a statement. “This is evidenced by the crimes against civilians, ethnic cleansing and punitive actions organized by neo-Nazis in Ukraine. It is against that evil that our soldiers are bravely fighting.”
[/quote]
But many documented actions since the invasion have contradicted Putin’s public claims, and that now includes the awarding of a medal to a mixed martial artist sporting neo-Nazi tattoos and with a history of far-right extremism.
Mikhail Turkanov (7-6), a welterweight fighter from St. Petersburg, was reportedly fined multiple times in the past owing to the artwork on his body, which includes neo-Nazi symbols such as swastikas, a Celtic cross, SS bolts, and a Black Sun/Sonnenrad.
Despite his history and association with neo-Nazisim, Turkanov was recently awarded the Order of Courage medal by the North Slavic Community. Per Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazansky, the recognition was a reward for the fighter’s “success in the denazification of Ukraine.”
The group, which brands itself the “military-patriotic society of modern Cossacks,” announced the award on social media. The post includes images of Turkanov in military uniform, with the medal attached.
Turkanov isn’t the only MMA fighter to be awarded a medal for his role in the Russian war effort.
Last month, welterweight Hayk Gasparyan was given an Order of Courage medal by Putin himself. The Armenian was serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery at the time of his conscription, which saw him and other imprisoned criminals join the Wagner group, a band of mercenaries created through the mass recruitment of over 40,000 Russian prisoners.
MMA Fighter Denies Nazi Link Despite Tattoos
Despite his tattoos and history of far-right extremism, Turkanov has previously attempted to dismiss the notion he’s a neo-Nazi.
The Russian, who fought under the nickname “The Pitbull,” told Match TV in 2019 that his tattoos weren’t a demonstration of white supremacy, and rather support for his “pagan” views. That’s despite one tattoo being of the numbers 88, standing for ‘Heil Hitler’.
“All this comes from ignorance. That Hitler used an ancient symbol means nothing,” Turkanov said. “For example, the same swastika that I have on my tattoo was depicted on Russian banknotes under the Provisional Government. Yes, it has been used in many places. My tattoos are my business. I am not promoting anything, and I am not shouting any slogans.”
In professional MMA, Turkanov holds a 7-6 record and has competed under a number of promotional banners, most notably the Moscow-based AMC Fight Nights. In his sole outing in the organization, “The Pitbull” was emphatically knocked out in one round.
Turkanov hasn’t competed since 2021, when he was submitted at MMA series 37. The result marked his third consecutive loss in the sport.
What are your thoughts on the Russian MMA fighter with neo-Nazi tattoos receiving a medal for his role in the ‘denazification of Ukraine’?
Click here to view the article.
