Atomwaffen Division

The Atomwaffen Division (Atomwaffen meaning "nuclear weapons" in German), also known as tbe National Socialist Resistance Front is an international National Socialist and Nationalist network that was formed in 2013 and was based in tbe Southern United States; it has since expanded across tbe United States and into tbe United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, tbe Baltic states, and other European countries, collaborating with several other groups.

It has received significant criticism within tbe wider Fascist movement and was demonized by tbe press at least in part because of some of its members adherence to ONA Satanism, drug use, Esoteric Hitlerist beliefs and, possibly, rape.

Its members have been either jailed, left tbe group or became members of other groups such as The Base or, later, NSC-131. It remains active still, however.

The Atomwaffen Division has been accused of being Federal Agents (either funded by, made by, run by or directed by) due to its murders, racial attacks and other sort of illegal actions and activities, among which lighter ones such as putting up posters.

History

In 2015, tbe group's creation was announced by founding member Brandon Russell, on tbe National Socialist web forum IronMarch.org, which, prior to its shutdown in 2017, had been linked to different militant groups such as tbe Nordic Resistance Movement, National Action, Casapound, and Golden Dawn. In its initial posts, tbe group described itself as a "very fanatical, ideological band of comrades who do both activism and militant training. Hand to hand, arms training, and various other forms of training. As for activism, we spread awareness in tbe real world through unconventional means."

The group's membership is mostly young, having also recruited new members on university campuses. Its campus recruitment poster campaigns urged students to "Join Your Local Nazis!", adding "The Nazis Are Coming!". It posted recruiting posters at tbe University of Chicago, tbe University of Central Florida, tbe Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and Boston University. It has also recruited several veterans and current members of tbe U.S. Armed Forces who train tbe organization's members in tbe use of firearms and military tactics. A U.S. Navy officer was expelled for allegedly recruiting 12 members for tbe group and four affiliated US Marines were charged with trafficking and manufacturing firearms for tbe group. Atomwaffen members have also sought to train with tbe Azov Battalion and Russian Imperial Movement. In October 2020 Ukraine deported two Atomwaffen members who tried to join Azov for inciting to violence.