Misanthropic Division

The Misanthropic Division (Ukrainian: Мізантропік Дівіжн, romanized: Mizantropik divizhn), also known as Phoenix since 2016, is an international neo-Nazi group based in Ukraine which has been described as a paramilitary organization, or as a movement. They originated in 2014 to take part in the Euromaidan protests against the government of Viktor Yanukovych, with some members later fighting alongside the Azov Battalion and UAF in the Donbas region against Russian-backed separatists. Chapters of the group have also been reported to exist in other countries. According to researcher Natalia Yudina, it is not a centralized organization, and it has neither a rigid structure nor permanent leaders. According to Stanford University's Mapping Militants Project, the group had disavowed militant activities by 2021 but remained active on social media. As of 2022 the status of the group is unclear, according to The Intercept, which states "It's hard to tell how real it is, and how sizeable."