Founded in Russia in 2016, they were banned in 2021. Known for smear campaigns against activists and false kidnapping or bomb scares to target individuals and venues deemed too progressive, since 2022 they have become among the staunchest supporters of the war in Ukraine The credibility of the claims remains to be seen. But at present, there is a claim of responsibility for the wave of bomb scares – nineteen so far – which has caused chaos in European skies. It arrived by email at several airports, with a standard message reporting bombs on various aircraft, signed by the “Fighters of the Male State”. This is the translation of “Muzhskoe Gosudarstvo”, also known as “Male Legion” or “Male State”, one of the most violent movements on the Russian far right. Long-standing clients of cybersecurity agencies Formed in Russia in 2016, they are no strangers to cybersecurity agencies, which have in the past classified them as among the most dangerous groups. However, they are not a collective of hackers, although – as their past actions demonstrate – there is more than one member of the group with advanced IT skills, which have enabled operations and cyberattacks in Russia and abroad. Founded by blogger Vladislav Pozdnyakov, the movement began as a closed community on the social media platform VKontakte (the Russian equivalent of Facebook) before spilling over onto a series of Telegram channels. Featuring a stylised black double-headed eagle – clearly inspired by the Nazi emblem – accompanied by the Cyrillic letters ‘МГ’ as its symbol, and characterised by misogyny, homophobia, racial hatred, opposition to multiculturalism and white supremacy, the movement eventually attracted hundreds of thousands of users to its channels. But it did not limit itself to mere propaganda. At its peak, it also established regional physical branches across Russia. Cyberbullying, doxxing and threats Pozdnyakov, flanked by his long-standing collaborators Dmitry Gubanov and Igor Nosov, first came to prominence for his fierce opposition to the passing of the law against domestic violence, before turning his attention to full-scale campaigns against LGBTQ+ activists, civil rights activists and politicians, and inclusive brands. Vkontakte blocked the channel, but the group had already established a presence on other platforms. Targeted by Russian counter-terrorism authorities and the courts – which have repeatedly placed Pozdnyakov under investigation – the group has come under scrutiny for cyberbullying, doxxing (the disclosure of private data) and death threats against women, activists and interracial couples; however, the real alarm was raised following the first instances of swatting. False bomb scares and hijacking alerts Essentially, these are anonymous false reports made to law-enforcement agencies alleging ongoing shootings, murders or kidnappings – reports so detailed and credible that they prompt officers to raid the home of an innocent victim. Those targeted include bloggers, activists, politicians, or anyone who opposes their hate campaigns. Another wave of attacks targeted shops and restaurants in Russia, where SWAT teams were dispatched following false bomb scares received via email. The same method was used to sow panic in Montenegro, where a spate of emails led to special forces raiding key facilities, including Budva’s largest shopping centre and several state schools.
via repubblica: Nazis, racists and misogynists. Meet Male Legion, the group that has claimed responsibility for the wave of alerts
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