The Ukrainian football ultras fighting Putin: Inside the elite 'Kraken' unit 

The Ukrainian football ultras fighting Putin: Inside the elite ‘Kraken’ unit who have become Russia’s nightmare

Before Russia invaded Ukraine they were a collection of football ultras, right-wing agitators, and veterans of the notorious Azov Battalion.

Now, they are crack soldiers and part of one of Ukraine’s best fighting units called Kraken.

Putin’s propagandists call them Neo-Nazis, and they have faced accusations of war crimes and harbouring far-right fanatics – all of which they deny.

But, to ordinary citizens, this controversial unit are the ‘Defenders of Kharkiv’ who spearheaded Ukraine’s stunning counter-attack to protect the city last year.

This is the story of Kraken’s rise from obscurity to become one of Ukraine’s best known fighting units.

Watch the video here:

source: dailymail.co.uk