TY - JOUR
T1 - Russia's fifth column
T2 - The influence of the Night Wolves Motorcycle Club
AU - Harris, Kira
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - While the Night Wolves Motorcycle Club's (NWMC) roots are similar to Western counterparts such as the Hells Angels MC and Bandidos MC, they have evolved into a proxy of the Russian state who unite combat-ready diasporas. The NWMC nongovernmental organization provides soft propaganda while they operate alongside the Russian military and imbed military tactics into foreign Russian populations through their corporate entity Wolf Holding of Security Structures. This case study explores the evolution from outlaw motorcycle club to political force and their integration into Russia's information operations and conflict. The NWMC activities in Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine, highlight how this motorcycle club has been able to cultivate a fifth column to agitate domestic politics and increase ties to the Kremlin.
AB - While the Night Wolves Motorcycle Club's (NWMC) roots are similar to Western counterparts such as the Hells Angels MC and Bandidos MC, they have evolved into a proxy of the Russian state who unite combat-ready diasporas. The NWMC nongovernmental organization provides soft propaganda while they operate alongside the Russian military and imbed military tactics into foreign Russian populations through their corporate entity Wolf Holding of Security Structures. This case study explores the evolution from outlaw motorcycle club to political force and their integration into Russia's information operations and conflict. The NWMC activities in Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine, highlight how this motorcycle club has been able to cultivate a fifth column to agitate domestic politics and increase ties to the Kremlin.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045187061&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85045187061&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1057610X.2018.1455373
DO - 10.1080/1057610X.2018.1455373
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85045187061
SN - 1057-610X
VL - 43
SP - 259
EP - 273
JO - Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
JF - Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
IS - 4
ER -
