On June 15, the press secretary of Right Sector Odessa (Pravyi Sektor) published on her official Facebook page a call for 14 to 18 year old ‘active boys and girls’ to join their ranks.

You are 14-18 years old?

You are a patriot of Ukraine?

Dream to change the life in our country better?

You are by nature a fighter?

Always defend justice and protect the weak?

Is it important for you to find true friends?

Want to participate in community projects?

You need to show yourself as a leader and to implement their ideas?

Or maybe you see your future in politics?

Then you are who we need!

( Right Sector Odessa on Facebook, June 15)

The call promises military, ideological, medical and psychological training for the youth. “You can protect yourself, your home and your family. Together we can do so much more for our country than alone.” The text ends with the call to bring friends to the ‘Youth of Right Sector’.

Right Sector is a Ukrainian right wing nationalist party. Despite their small electoral base, their influence within the Ukrainian balance of power is growing. They are tightly organized, have a young and dedicated member base as well as an active and skilled military wing. The chain of command ends at Dimitriy Yarosh, a charismatic and populistic figure who radiates the aura of a simple man who detests elitist politics and oligarchy. He propagates a conservative mindset.

Right Sector’s military battalion is said to receive significant funding by Igor Kolomoyskiy, a controversial and ambitious oligarch who regularly and publicly challenges President Poroshenko and governmental institutions. Poroshenko himself recently appointed Saakashvili as chairman Odessa regional state administration. While Saakashwili is rather popular in Odessa, Kolomoyskiy makes no secret about his rejection of this decision and his dislike towards Mikhail Saakashvili (and Poroshenko).

(wf,yg)