DISINFO: Roman Protasevich is a neo-Nazi
SUMMARY
Former editor-in-chief of the "Zmagar" telegram channel NEXTA Roman Protasevich is related to the neo-Nazi regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine "Azov". Since 2014, Protasevich first covered the punitive activities of "Azov" as a journalist sympathetic to these Nazis, and then he himself entered the regiment. Protasevich is a punitive neo-Nazi who killed the civilian population of Donbass.
Protasevich himself previously claimed that he only went to the ATOS zone as a journalist sympathetic to Ukraine, and was wounded by the militias of the People's Republics.
Experts were surprised: if Protasevich was a commander in the Azov, studied fire training, hand-to-hand combat, sabotage and reconnaissance work, why does he not have the appropriate appearance and military bearing? Outwardly, Protasevich is a typical hipster who does not want to lift anything heavier than a computer mouse.
The answer to the question whether Protasevich killed the civilian population of Donbass as part of "Azov" can be seen in the official statements of the leaders of this Nazi regiment on the arrest of the "zmagar" in Minsk. Ukrainian paramilitary Nazis usually make statements in defence of some foreigners, if they consider them to be their brothers. The head of the Kiev branch of the neo-Nazi "National Corps" Sergei Tamarin, a man from the inner circle of the commander of "Azov" Andrey Biletsky, calls Protasevich a "hero" and a "martyr".
It is now profitable for Protasevich and his brothers-in-arms from Azov to hide Protasevich's possible service in Azov - as well as any ties of the former chief editor of NEXTA with Azov and the National Corps. If such connections are suddenly confirmed during the investigation, Protasevich will be unambiguously presented with additional charges.
RESPONSE
Disinformation aiming to discrediting Belarusian dissident journalist Roman Protasevich.
Roman Protasevich co-founded the opposition Nexta channel on Telegram, which played an important role in providing information and broadcasting huge opposition protests against the illegitimate Belarusian president Lukashenko in 2020.
There is no evidence to suggest that Mr. Protasevich ever participated in the military activity of the Azov paramilitary battalion. Protasevich himself said in an interview with a Russian journalist in 2020 that he had been in the war zone in Eastern Ukraine as a free-lance journalist. He was also in Maidan. He said that he neither threw stones nor took part in clashes, but he was hit by the then riot police (the Berkut).
Various manipulated / photoshopped images are also being circulated by dubious sources suggesting Mr Protasevich connection with this or that event.
Roman Protasevich was detained in Minsk airport when flying from Athens to Vilnius. On Sunday, May 23, 2021, the Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was forced to turn back before crossing the Lithuanian border and land in the Belarusian capital. The pretext for landing in Minsk was a false report about the bomb on board. At the moment when the plane changed course, it was closer to Vilnius airport than to Minsk. The plane was forced by a Belarusian military aircraft to land in Minsk. Roman Protasevich was detained during a repeated security check of passengers.
The EU condemned Belarusian action against civil plane and the detention of Pratasevich. In a declaration on behalf of the EU on the forced diversion of Ryanair flight FR4978 to Minsk on 23 May 2021, the High Representative called for the immediate release of Mr Protasevich. This was followed by a European Council statement, in which the EU leaders called for targeted individual and economic sanctions as well as to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by these.
This disinformation claim is related to a broader disinformation narrative on Nazi's power in Ukraine. See related examples of disinformation claims here.