Republicans are backing Ukraine in the war. So why is there support for Russia on America’s far right?
America’s far right shares a common enemy with Putin and Russia: the West’s liberal values and the cabal of elites they believe controls the economy and the media.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there has been near unanimous denunciation of President Vladimir Putin, from President Joe Biden calling Putin a “war criminal,” to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell describing him as a “ruthless thug.”
But the Ukraine invasion has found a significant pocket of support from prominent figures on the far right including white supremacist Nick Fuentes, who regularly gushes about Putin on his Telegram channel. The war is also a hot topic in QAnon chatrooms where Putin is often portrayed as a hero.