Far-Right in Ukraine before and after Euromaidan: From Ultranationalist Party Policy to EthnoCentral “Non-Civil” Society

Abstract

Partisan-political ultranationalism was so far weak in post-Soviet Ukraine. Thethreemain political forces, VO “Svoboda”, “Right Sector” and “National Corps”, despite the increased public awareness and growing nationalist sentiments among the population of Ukraine, remained politically marginalized after the 2013-2014 Euromaidan. Neither the loss of Crimea nor the war in Donbass increased the electoral support of radical nationalist groups. However, in the context of Russia's ongoing “hybrid war” against Ukraine, far-right activists, sometimes associated with ultra-nationalist political parties, have gained more recognition in the Ukrainian public since 2014. The activities of anti-democratic non-governmental organizations and their periodic cooperation with the Ukrainian state require careful monitoring. This article provides an overview of the development of the right-wing radical political spectrum in Ukraine before and after the “Revolution of Dignity”.

Keywords

• ukraine
• nationalism
• radicalism
• parties
• elections
• extremism