MILITARIZATION OF FOOTBALL ULTRAS BY THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANY “ESPAÑOLA”)

Abstract

One of the military formations of the Russian Federation fighting against Ukraine is the military organization “Española”. It was created in the fall of 2022 from fans of Russia’s leading football clubs, who in peaceful life are fierce opponents in fan fights. The PMC leadership claims that such people fight better than mobilized ones, because they are more motivated and disciplined, hardened in fanatical fights. The number of members of the gang reaches three digits. In February 2023, the pro-ruling United Russia party took over “Española”; the unit was given the status of a private military campaign (PMC) and began recruiting fighters. The purpose of the article is to prove the modern Russian Federation authorities are deliberately militarizing Russian football ultras, hools after a full-scale invasion of the Ukraine territory in 2022. In the research, the author uses structural-functional, psychological and comparative methods, the method of group theory. The peculiarities of the formation, emergence of the name “Española”, its ideology, moral and financial support of the PMC by sports clubs and organizations of Russia, individual coaches, football players are traced. Attention is drawn to the sports and political confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian fans in the “Azov” regiment and the “Española” PMC during hostilities, the spread of fakes by the Russian side about the of fan movement in Ukraine. Commonalities in the creation and activity of “Española” and “Wagner” PMCs are given. It has been proven that the militarization of Russian society turned into war psychosis and became an element of mass consciousness. There is a significant possibility that after the end of the war, Russian fans will be able to use the acquired military experience to create tension during matches in the stadiums of the world and in the surrounding football movement. Thus, the Russian authorities deliberately discredit the domestic and world movement of fans and ultras, spread militaristic perception to the entire fan base.