Format18

Format18 (F18; Russian: Формат18) was a Russian neo-Nazi group based in the city of Moscow. It was led by Maxim Sergeyevich Martsinkevich (also known as Tesak), and had close relations with the political party National Socialist Society.^[1][2]

Format18 Формат18
Abbreviation	F18
Leader	Maxim Martsinkevich (Tesak)
Founded	End of 2005 (2005)
Banned	20 December 2010 (2010-12-20)
Split from	People's National Party
Ideology	Neo-Nazism Neo-fascism Russian ultranationalism Anti-immigration Anti-Semitism Caucasophobia Homophobia Anti-black sentiment
Political position	Far-right
National affiliation	National Socialist Society
Colours	Black   Green
Website
format18.org (banned)
Politics of Russia Political parties Elections

Background

Format18 was initially formed under the name "Creative Studio Format-18" sometime during the end of 2005 in Moscow by Russian racist skinhead Maxim Martsinkevich.^[3][4] The number "18" in the group's name was selected as an alphanumeric code which corresponds to "AH", the initials of Adolf Hitler – with "A" being the 1st letter of the Latin alphabet and "H" being the 8th.^[5][6]

The site was initially intended as an internet forum for Russian neo-Nazis, but Martsinkevich and his fellow neo-Nazi associates eventually started to upload their own video blogs to the site that discussed the far-right subculture, weightlifting, and paramilitary training. They would also interview bystanders about their views on the presence of non-Slavic immigrants in the Russian Federation. Martsinkevich also published videos of him and other Russian white supremacists promoting hatred towards Afro-Russians and antifascists – sometimes portrayed in fictional acting scenarios.^[7]

Maxim Martsinkevich, along with many other individuals affiliated with Format18 had a reputation for recording numerous attacks and even some murders that were carried out on ethnic minorities, immigrants, non-Russians, transients, prostitutes, and similar victims alike. Additionally, its members would film humiliating interviews of their political opponents (typically militant antifascists, leftists, and homosexuals) while subjecting them to degradation and abuse. Videos featured on the F18 website were often sold and distributed by the group for profit.^[8] It was such types of controversial content that organization attracted widespread attention for.^[9][10]

A vast selection of far-right political music by various neo-Nazi bands and white power artists were also available for purchase.^[11][12] Many of these songs can be heard playing in the background of the videos that were uploaded.^[13][14]

Dissolution and legacy

Format18 was officially designated as an extremist organization in late 2010 by the Moscow City Court which resulted in the banning of the group and removal of the format18.org website.^[15][16][17]

F18 are often credited with popularizing the trend of filming attacks on immigrants and subsequently uploading them to the internet, which has become a popular practice amongst Russian neo-Nazi circles.^[18][19]

Maxim Martsinkevich and Format18 are said to have been the inspiration behind the 2009 mockumentary film Russia 88.^[20]

The organization has been featured in several documentaries about neo-Nazis in Russia, including From Russia With Hate, Credit For Murder, and Ross Kemp on Gangs.^{[21][22][23][24][25]}

After the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Format 18 battalion was formed in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it consists of former members of Format 18.^{[26][unreliable source?]}

See also

• Combat Organization of Russian Nationalists
• Combat Terrorist Organization
• NS/WP Crew
• National Socialist Society
• The Savior (paramilitary organization)
• Primorsky Partisans

References

1. "Grünes Licht für Jagd auf Schwule"
2. Macklin, Graham (2018). "'Only Bullets will Stop Us!' – The Banning of National Action in Britain". Perspectives on Terrorism. 12 (6): 104–122. ISSN 2334-3745. JSTOR 26544646.
3. "Cleaver jako dítě. Životopis Maxima Martsinkeviče. Ultrapravicové organizace v životě Maxima Martsinkevicha".
4. Bidder, Benjamin (14 November 2013). "Russian Skinheads Abuse Gays and Post Video to Social Networks". Der Spiegel.
5. "Антикомпромат. Формат-18".
6. "Criminal cases against Tesak / SOVA".
7. "Тесаку нарастили срок. – Компромат.Ру / Compromat.Ru".
8. "Осужденный не за преступления".
9. "Антикомпромат. Формат-18".
10. "A Brief History of Far-Right Movements in Russia". 19 January 2022.
11. "Тесак в лесу резал "черножопым" головы, в тюрьме ему отрезали яйца током. – Компромат.Ру / Compromat.Ru".
12. "Суд запретил деятельность неонацистской группировки "Формат-18" : новости Федеральные : ЗакС.Ру".
13. Schwirtz, Michael (12 June 2008). "Video Draws Attention to Growing Violence Against Minorities in Russia". The New York Times.
14. Kerekes, David; Slater, David (3 June 2016). Killing for culture: From Edison to ISIS: A New History of Death on Film. SCB Distributors. ISBN 9781909394353.
15. "Формат-18 . Русское движение за тридцать лет (1985-2015) [Записки очевидца]".
16. "Russian Neo-Nazis Admire Child Killer Breivik | the Nordic Page".
17. "Russian Neo-Nazi Tesak Found Dead in Prison. Zaborona Reports on How He Influenced the Development of Far-right Violence". 7 October 2020.
18. ""From Russia with Hate"". 14 December 2012.
19. "Neo-Nazis flaunt videos of violent attacks online". 5 August 2008.
20. Bidder, Benjamin (14 November 2013). "Russian Skinheads Abuse Gays and Post Video to Social Networks". Der Spiegel.
21. ""From Russia with Hate"". 14 December 2012.
22. Резунков, Виктор (15 October 2016). "Две педали Путина". Радио Свобода.
23. "The National Policy Institute has compiled a dossier accusing Sergei Korotkikh of working for Russian intelligence services. The dossier's author was later assaulted. Zaborona explains what it all means". 21 January 2021.
24. "Serhii Korotkykh – Prominent Azov movement player and former police official – Reporting Radicalism in Ukraine".
25. "Ross Kemp on Gangs: Moscow". 13 August 2012.
26. "UraganFormat18".

Further reading

• Politics Russia, by Catherine Danks

External links

• Beheading and Shooting by Russian Neo-Nazis on Video, The New York Times, 15 August 2007
• Format18 on anticompromat.ru (in Russian)
• Тесак затупился^{[permanent dead link]} The New Times 9 July 2007 (in Russian)