Neo-Nazi Group's Leader Alleged as Russian Spy Asset

Former members of the international neo-Nazi group known as the Base are accusing its American founder, Rinaldo Nazzaro, of being a Russian intelligence asset, citing his fluency in Russian, frequent travel to Russia, and use of Russian internet services for group operations. These allegations, reported across multiple sources, suggest that the Base may act as a front for Russia’s FSB, especially as the group has promoted sabotage and assassination missions inside Ukraine targeting President Volodymyr Zelensky. Suspicion among members grew as Nazzaro, who previously worked as a Pentagon contractor and drone targeting analyst, demonstrated little real combat experience and swiftly relocated to Russia during crackdowns on the group. The Base’s digital infrastructure, including recruitment and communications platforms, is heavily reliant on Russian services, further fueling speculation about Kremlin ties. Nazzaro has publicly denied any such affiliations, but the claims continue to circulate among far-right and extremist platforms. The situation underscores concerns about Russian influence operations leveraging extremist groups to destabilize foreign adversaries.