Being ‘Absolute Patriots' Puts Ukraine's Right Sector Above the Law

The notorious group recently demanded the resignation of President Petro Poroshenko in Kiev and threatened to burn the presidential administration to ashes, after state airborne troops blocked their base in eastern Ukraine. The paratroopers later unblocked the site.

However, even this daring riot is not enough to resolutely crack down on the group.

Armed groups that are not formalized as state institutions are illegal, Prosecutor Anatolii Matios commented on the Right Sector's status. But he added:

"I will probably palter with truth if I say that this armed formation is not Ukrainian. The Right Sector are absolute patriots."

Ukrainian authorities want to take the rogue nationalistic group under control. But the Right Sector declared it would never enter the ranks of the National Guard (the Interior Ministry) and could only possibly join the Defense Ministry as a "separate combat unit."

The governing group's initial plan to use nationalistic sentiments to its advantage looks like it is now backfiring, as Poroshenko's team has serious difficulties in controlling the genie they let out of the bottle.