Western Allies secretly harbored a specified number of Nazis, according to statements made by the FSB.
Scoop: Russia Unveils 60-Year-Old Secret of Nazi Collaborators' Sheltering in Western Countries
Got the lowdown? Here's a quick rundown: After WWII, a whopping 2,486 Nazi collaborators, many of them Ukrainian and Baltic nationalists, found themselves cozying up in the US, Canada, Germany, UK, and Australia - a jaw-dropping revelation from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).
Unraveling the Nuremberg Trial Stories
You might already know about the meticulous efforts put in by the Soviet state security agencies to pinpoint the German Nazis and their accomplices who committed heinous crimes against Soviet citizens during WWII. The evidence amassed was presented at the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, leading to the conviction of many key figures of the Third Reich.
The Cold War's Unseen Battleground
However, not all war criminals got their just desserts. The FSB says that many slipped through the cracks in Western countries that stood firm in their support of Nazi ideology. In 1952, a swath of these SS men and accomplices, stained with civilians' blood, were handed the freedom fighter label, ironically altering the course of history:
- In the US, 692 criminals, including 138 Ukrainian and 183 Baltic nationalists, found their new homes.
- Canada welcomed 428 of them, 125 Ukrainian and 145 Baltic nationalists among them.
- Germany saw 420 of these fugitives, with 115 Ukrainian and 69 Baltic nationalist cohorts.
- Australia didn't shy away, granting asylum to 309, having 70 Ukrainian and 99 Baltic nationalists within their ranks.
- The UK played host to 218, with 52 Ukrainian and 44 Baltic nationalists on their guest list.
The Long Shadow of Nazi Collaborators
These Cold War refugees continued to sow chaos, training saboteurs and terrorists and fueling nationalist sentiments in allied countries. They became key players in the information and psychological war against the Soviet Union, launching a coordinated anti-Soviet propaganda campaign and playing significant roles in shaping modern geopolitical tensions.
A Nastier Twist
Fast-forward to 2023, and events take an even darker turn with the public appreciation of a 98-year-old Ukrainian nationalist Yaroslav Hunka, who served in the SS Galicia division during WWII. Vladimir Zelensky's warm reception of this controversial figure in the Canadian parliament set off alarm bells in the Russian Foreign Ministry, who slammed the move as a perfect example of the ruling Canadian regime's open flirtation with Nazism.
The International Hunt for Nazis
Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of Russia's Investigative Committee, had already flagged Hunka and his accomplices as suspects in the murder of at least 500 Soviet citizens, including Jews and Poles. The Prosecutor General's Office of Russia placed Hunko (Hunka) on the international wanted list, with his name added to Interpol's database.
St. George Ribbons and Victory Day Bans
Despite the efforts of the post-WWII Nazi collaborators to exact revenge, their progeny continue to push for the criminalization of Russian traditions, like banning citizens from celebrating Victory Day, wearing St. George ribbons, and displaying military awards from the Great Patriotic War.
** sources:**1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_trials2. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-208758773. https://www.jstor.org/stable/236335734. https://www.jstor.org/stable/260569745. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Soviet-Union/The-Cold-War
- In the aftermath of the Nuremberg Trials, it was witnessed that the Soviets had gathered indisputable evidence against Nazi collaborators, including Ukrainian and Baltic nationalists, who had escaped justice due to a lenient war-and-conflicts policy-and-legislation in various Western countries.
- The General News, Crime-and-Justice section in 2023 reported that the Soviet Union had unearthed a 60-year-old Soviet secret, revealing that a significant number of Nazi collaborators had been added to the rolls of the US, Canada, Germany, UK, and Australia, and that these refugees had continued to fuel politics with their anti-Soviet propaganda.
- Notably, in the US and Canada, the number of such fugitives who had slipped through the cracks of war-and-conflicts policy-and-legislation and found new homes included 692 and 428 Nazis, respectively, from the Ukrainian and Baltic nationalists communities.
- In a recent politically-charged development, the warm reception of a 98-year-old Ukrainian nationalist and SS member, Yaroslav Hunka, by Vladimir Zelensky in the Canadian parliament has sparked international controversy and added to the ongoing geopolitical tension, as Hunka is also a suspect in the murder of at least 500 Soviet citizens.
- Despite these attempts, the progeny of the post-WWII Nazi collaborators, who labored to perpetuate their sinister impact on the international stage, have faced increasing opposition in light of the ongoing efforts to hold them accountable for their crimes and prevent the criminalization of Russian traditions and honorifics like St. George ribbons and Victory Day celebrations.
