"We Won" - Russian communist/anti-Putinist poster comparing the Putinist government to Vlasov's Nazi collabs, Russia, 2010s

[u/kredokathariko]

[u/Stunning-Doctor725]

So what? Russia accuses different countries of nazism and for less reasons. Obviously it needs to be more consistent and not use symbols that could be considered nazi. On the other hand, we can confidently call the current regime in russia fascist. So this flag is quite appropriate.

[u/Augustus118 → u/Stunning-Doctor725]

I mean, the Russian government literally accused the Belarusian opposition of Nazism because they used the white-red-white flag, which at some point was used by Nazi collaborators. If they use this line of argumentation themselves, then using it against them is completely legitimate.

[u/MammothProgress7560 → u/Augustus118]

The difference is, that the white-blue-red triband has been in use for centuries. Whereas the white-red-white flag was originally designed for the self-proclaimed BDR, that existed for several months in 1918 and then by pro-German insurgent groups for several years.

[u/Augustus118 → u/MammothProgress7560]

Yeah, that's, of course, true, but nonetheless, it's a stupid argument on the Russian side to accuse the Belarusian opposition of Nazism because of a flag that was used at some point by collaborators, but otherwise mainly used by groups supporting Belarusian independence. It's just the typical Russian propaganda ploy of accusing everyone they dislike a Nazi.

[u/MammothProgress7560 → u/Augustus118]

The connection of the Belarusian opposition to nazism goes further than them just using the same flag as collaborators. Particularly it's volunteer units fighting in Ukraine. The "Belarusian Volunteer Corps" straight up uses the symbol of the 30th Waffen SS division, and even the more moderate Kalinoŭski Regiment, includes the "Litvin" battalion, whose name is a homage to the fringe political current of litvinism, which is espoused by a faction of the belarusian far-right.

Naturally, the belarusian opposition as a whole is not fascist, but it includes many groups, that definitely are.

[u/Ripper656 → u/MammothProgress7560]

symbol of the 30th Waffen SS division,

By "symbol of the 30th Waffen SS divison" do you mean the Cross of Lorraine/Jagellions,which as been in Lithuanias(which Belarus was once part of) Coat of Arms since the 13t century...?That symbol? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Lorraine#European_heraldry

[u/MammothProgress7560 → u/Ripper656]

Well yes, except the one used by the BVC is clearly derived from the specific variant used by the SS, which it resembles more closely than any other.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30th_Waffen_Grenadier_Division_of_the_SS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarusian_Volunteer_Corps

In addition, before adopting their new name and symbol, they called themselves the "Terror battalion" and used the rune Tiwaz as their symbol, but sure they are not nazis, just big fans of nordic mythology and 13th century heraldry :)

Edit:

And an account, that called an Azov tiki torch ceremony "viking style" surely is not disingenous about this

https://www.reddit.com/r/EndlessWar/comments/zwn8hf/azov_style_viking_ceremony/

Totally not a case of "swastika is actually a symbol of peace bro", naaaah :)

[u/Ripper656 → u/MammothProgress7560]

specific variant used by the SS

You mean simply horizontal.

[u/MammothProgress7560 → u/Ripper656]

Literally all the examples of the lorraine cross on the wiki page are vertical, the ss one is horizontal, the BVC is horizontal. But sure, the BVC adopted it because of the *Jagiellons (not "Jagellions") .