There actually *are* real neo-Nazi putschists in charge in Ukraine. (But it's not who you think.)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. I don't disagree with you.

Without doubt, there are certainly some people amongst the Ukrainian ultranationalist crowd who are indeed avowed, actual neo-Nazis.

And I don't mean to insinuate that the entire pro-Russian separatist movement in Eastern Ukraine is a fascist, neo-Nazi ideology simply based on Gubarev's own affiliation.

However, the point as I see it is that the pro-Russian separatist movement has defined its entire raison d'etre as opposing the Ukrainian government in Kiev because a) they see them as the illegitimate result of a "coup" and b) they see them as fascist neo-Nazis out to slaughter ethnic Russians.

They hammer those points over and over and over and over again. The words "fascists", "neo-Nazis" and "coup" are constantly repeated for ultimate effect. One particular (inactive/former) DUer sympathetic to the pro-Russian cause has an entire Twitter account full of these insinuations.

But clearly these have no problem seizing power by use of brute force. And apparently they don't have an issue with one of their top leaders being an avowed neo-Nazis.

So their stated justifications for fighting ring hollow. And that makes one wonder why is it they are actually fighting?