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According to the reports, Russia has funded at least 13 far-right groups in Europe. These groups range from small, fringe organizations to major political parties. The report found that Russia has used a variety of methods to fund these groups, including direct financial support, providing training and equipment, and spreading propaganda.

Why does Russia specifically fund far-rights in Europe?

I mean, why far-right, why not any other XYZ groups?

If they are funding EU far-rights, why are they not fond of Ukrainian far-rights?

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    If your argument for war is that you want to free the world from Nazis, it is probably best to make sure there is enough supply of Nazis around.
    – Eike Pierstorff
    Jul 9 at 18:44
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    Russia funds those groups that pick up and spread Russian propaganda. Unsurprisingly, those are generally the local Nazis, who are the most likely to view positively the current regime in Russia based on the rule of a strong führer.
    – Emil Jeřábek
    Jul 9 at 19:02
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    Concerning France, the far-right is, in the best of my knowledge, anti-U.S
    – Starckman
    Jul 10 at 9:47
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    As far as I'm aware, Russia funds any political group that it can benefit from. Russia funding leftist movements in the 70's caused massive anti-war sentiments regarding the Vietnam War. They are opportunistic in who they fund. There is evidence to suggest Russia helped fund information in favor of and against Black Lives Matter. Remember, you don't need to support Russia to be helping them. Creating political turmoil in an opposing state benefits Russia. The premise of this question isn't accurate.
    – David S
    Jul 10 at 15:01
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    @DavidS As global powers, such as the US and UK, and their color revolutions, do as well. Pysops works.
    – paulj
    Jul 11 at 11:39

2 Answers 2

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Why the Far-Right?

Support those who support you

With similar ideologies, support of "traditional" values and an aversion to more progressive views such as support of LGBT groups, in general European far right groups believe in Putin more than the general population:

Opinions of Putin based on political leaning

Simply put - Russia wouldn't support left leaning groups that tend to (not without exception) be critical of Putin.

Re: far right in Ukraine - they do support those that are pro-russian. Such groups are currently in charge of Lugansk and Donetsk. Far right nationalists, however, have an issue with countries that threaten their national sovereignty and so Russia won't find as many friends there.

We can see that, in general (2020 data) Ukraine has a much lower opinion of Russia than the rest of the world. There are much more positive areas for Russia to have focused it's attention.

2020 worldwide opinions on Putin

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    Didn't see this answer until I'd finished adding mine. Nicely sourced. +1
    – Shadur
    Jul 10 at 11:47
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    Greece statistics looking wired 71+52=123% or 63+52=115%, both time more then 100%. How this should work?
    – convert
    Jul 10 at 11:54
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    @convert Top percentage is the % of people who have confidence in Putin among supporters of the given party, bottom is % of people who have said confidence among non-supporters. So eg. 53% of Forza Italia supporters have confidence in Putin, but only 26% of non-supporters.
    – Maciej Stachowski
    Jul 10 at 11:59
  • Missed the Ukraine part.
    – user366312
    Jul 10 at 13:51
  • @user366312 added some more on the Ukrainian side.
    – Lio Elbammalf
    Jul 11 at 10:37
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For one, Putin benefits when his opponents and potential opponents lack the political will to oppose him effectively.

Far-right groups have a long history of arguing "{insert country here} First, other countries' wars are not our problem."

By providing far-right groups in other countries with propaganda to parrot and the resources to spread 'their' message far and wide, he can count on them to muddy up the discourse and prevent said countries from mustering a unified opposition that could cause him problems.

For another (specifically to Europe, both Eastern and Western), he is positioning himself as A Strong, Conservative Leader Fighting Back Against The Woke, Degenerate Liberals. Multiple far-right groups in various European countries tend to praise him as "the kind of leader Conservative Europe needs".

The implications and benefits there should be obvious.

As for why he isn't similarly supportive of far-right Ukranian groups, that should be equally obvious -- they're Ukranian and they're very well aware of what the Russian Army is doing to their people... And they're equally aware that Putin specifically singled them out as a justification for his "Special military operation". They're not going to forgive him for that.

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