Format18

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.{{cite web | url=https://kharkovchane.ru/cs/tesak-v-detstve-biografiya-maksima-marcinkevicha-ultrapravye-organizacii-v-zhizni-maksima-marcinkevi/ | title=Cleaver jako dítě. Životopis Maxima Martsinkeviče. Ultrapravicové organizace v životě Maxima Martsinkevicha }}{{cite news | url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/russian-skinheads-abuse-gays-and-post-video-to-social-networks-a-933549.html | title=Russian Skinheads Abuse Gays and Post Video to Social Networks | newspaper=Der Spiegel | date=14 November 2013 | last1=Bidder | first1=Benjamin }} 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.{{cite web | url=https://anticompromat.panchul.com/skiny/f18.html | title=Антикомпромат. Формат-18 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.sova-center.ru/en/xenophobia/news-releases/2014/04/d29316/ | title=Criminal cases against Tesak / SOVA }}

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.{{cite web | url=http://www.compromat.ru/page_38115.htm | title=Тесаку нарастили срок. – Компромат.Ру / Compromat.Ru | date=4 October 2023 }}

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.{{cite web | url=https://ovdinfo.org/articles/2014/11/13/osuzhdennyy-ne-za-prestupleniya | title=Осужденный не за преступления }} It was such types of controversial content that organization attracted widespread attention for.{{cite web | url=http://anticompromat.panchul.com/skiny/f18.html | title=Антикомпромат. Формат-18 }}{{cite web | url=https://antifascist-europe.org/russia/a-brief-history-of-far-right-movements-in-russia/ | title=A Brief History of Far-Right Movements in Russia | date=19 January 2022 }}

A vast selection of far-right political music by various neo-Nazi bands and white power artists were also available for purchase.{{cite web | url=http://www.compromat.ru/page_42070.htm | title=Тесак в лесу резал "черножопым" головы, в тюрьме ему отрезали яйца током. – Компромат.Ру / Compromat.Ru | date=5 December 2023 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.zaks.ru/new/archive/view/76333 | title=Суд запретил деятельность неонацистской группировки "Формат-18" : новости Федеральные : ЗакС.Ру }} Many of these songs can be heard playing in the background of the videos that were uploaded.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/world/europe/12moscow.html | title=Video Draws Attention to Growing Violence Against Minorities in Russia | newspaper=The New York Times | date=12 June 2008 | last1=Schwirtz | first1=Michael }}{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MI5XDwAAQBAJ&dq=Shamil+Odamanov+%22music%22&pg=PT434 | title=Killing for culture: From Edison to ISIS: A New History of Death on Film | isbn=9781909394353 | last1=Kerekes | first1=David | last2=Slater | first2=David | date=3 June 2016 | publisher=SCB Distributors }}

The Israel-based neo-Nazi skinhead group Patrol 36 committed a series of violent crimes that were directly inspired by Format18.{{Cite web |title=חדשות - בארץ nrg - אישום: כך פעל התא הניאו-נאצי |url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/1/ART1/635/411.html |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=www.makorrishon.co.il}}{{Cite web |title=Israel's Neo Nazis {{!}} Journeyman Pictures |url=https://www.journeyman.tv/film_documents/4247/transcript/ |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=www.journeyman.tv}} Furthermore, self-produced video recordings of the gang’s attacks on ethnic minorities, homosexuals and Jews were uploaded to the Format18 website. {{Cite web |date=2011-11-04 |title=Neo-Nazi gang leader gets 5 years, 9 months in jail |url=https://www.jpost.com/national-news/neo-nazi-gang-leader-gets-5-years-9-months-in-jail |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}}

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.{{cite web | url=https://biography.wikireading.ru/hmX5drjl7K | title=Формат-18 . Русское движение за тридцать лет (1985-2015) [Записки очевидца] }}{{cite web | url=https://www.tnp.no/norway/panorama/3280-russian-neo-nazis-admire-child-killer-breivik/ | title=Russian Neo-Nazis Admire Child Killer Breivik | the Nordic Page | date=8 October 2012 }}{{cite web | url=https://zaborona.com/en/russian-neo-nazi-tesak-found-dead-in-prison-zaborona-reports-on-how-he-influenced-the-development-of-far-right-violence/ | title=Russian Neo-Nazi Tesak Found Dead in Prison. Zaborona Reports on How He Influenced the Development of Far-right Violence | date=7 October 2020 }}

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.{{cite web | url=https://vimeo.com/55633560 | title="From Russia with Hate" | date=14 December 2012 }}{{cite web | url=https://observers.france24.com/en/20080805-neo-nazis-videos-violent-attacks-online-russia | title=Neo-Nazis flaunt videos of violent attacks online | date=5 August 2008 }}

Maxim Martsinkevich and Format18 are said to have been the inspiration behind the 2009 mockumentary film Russia 88.{{cite news | url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/russian-skinheads-abuse-gays-and-post-video-to-social-networks-a-933549.html | title=Russian Skinheads Abuse Gays and Post Video to Social Networks | newspaper=Der Spiegel | date=14 November 2013 | last1=Bidder | first1=Benjamin }}

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.{{cite web | url=https://vimeo.com/55633560 | title="From Russia with Hate" | date=14 December 2012 }}{{cite news | url=https://www.svoboda.org/a/27212573.html | title=Две педали Путина | newspaper=Радио Свобода | date=15 October 2016 | last1=Резунков | first1=Виктор }}{{cite web | url=https://zaborona.com/en/the-national-policy-institute-has-compiled-a-dossier-accusing-sergei-korotkikh-of-working-for-russian-intelligence-services-the-dossiers-author-was-later-assaulted/ | title=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 | date=21 January 2021 }}{{cite web | url=https://reportingradicalism.org/en/dossiers/people/serhii-korotkykh | title=Serhii Korotkykh – Prominent Azov movement player and former police official – Reporting Radicalism in Ukraine }}{{cite web | url=https://documentaryheaven.com/ross-kemp-on-gangs-moscow/ | title=Ross Kemp on Gangs: Moscow | date=13 August 2012 }}

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. The group is headed by Artem Krasnolutsky «Uragan» who led the Voronezh Format 18 squad until he fled to Ukraine due to a criminal case against him. {{cite web |title=UraganFormat18 |url= https://t.me/+7QYA5KbAMMQxYjAy}}{{cite web |title=Fan Art 18 Ukrainian store |url=https://t.me/fanart18}}{{cite web |title=Radion Baturin from Belorussian Volunteer Corpus says about Format18 battalion |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q3PS5oErmLA}}

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

• [https://books.google.com/books?id=laWsAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Format+18%22+russia&pg=PA283 Politics Russia], by Catherine Danks

• [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/15/world/europe/15russia.html?_r=0 Beheading and Shooting by Russian Neo-Nazis on Video], The New York Times, 15 August 2007
• [http://www.anticompromat.org/skiny/f18.html Format18] on anticompromat.ru {{in lang|ru}}
• [http://newtimes.ru/magazine/2007/issue022/doc-7943.html Тесак затупился]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The New Times 9 July 2007 {{in lang|ru}}

{{Neo-Nazism}}

{{Russian nationalism}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Far-right politics in Russia

Category:Neo-Nazi organizations

Category:Neo-Nazism in Russia

Category:Russian nationalist organizations

Category:Military wings of fascist parties

Category:Neo-fascist terrorism

Category:Political violence in Russia