Student union reports attack probably by extreme rightwing thugs

The independent student union Direct Action [Pryama Diya] has reported what it calls the latest attack on one of its activists and asserts that this is the latest attack in a wave of extreme rightwing violence.

During the evening of 22 August two men with their faces hidden attacked Bohdan Biletsky from behind.  They shouted a word which Direct Action identifies as being extreme rightwing groups’ slang for a person with leftwing views and began beating him up.  Bohdan ended up in hospital with concussion and numerous injuries.

Direct Action calls this one episode in a wave of extreme rightwing violence seen recently. 

It mentions the assault reported here on Georgy Yerman,  Executive Secretary of the Kyiv branch of the Independent Media Trade Union , who on 8 June  was set upon by five assailants near the Darnytsa Metro Station.

The assailants demanded that he chant some nationalist slogans while they videoed it, and threatened him for having, as they claimed, insulted nationalists in his articles.

Some of the assailants were in masks. 

Direct Action mentions other attacks. 

It asserts that there was an attempt on the life of Vlad N., whom they call an activist of the Autonomous Union of Workers.

On 20 April Kyiv journalist Andriy Movchan was assaulted by members of an extreme rightwing gang;

There was also, they say, an attack on a demonstration in support of LGBT in which gas canisters were used, as well as an attack later that same day.

On 1 December 2012 there was an attack in Ternopil on a presentation of the journal “Spilne” (Together).

Direct Action believes this to be only a small part of extreme rightwing violence.  It says that attacks are often carried out or supported by members of VO Svoboda, as well as the militarized subculture group C14. It believes that the police do not respond adequately.