German state media shows Nazi insignia from Ukrainian boot camp for kids

A broadcast from a “military camp for children” featured a child wearing an imperial eagle patch

German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) spotted a Nazi insignia while reporting from what it claimed to be a “secret military camp” for children in Ukraine.

A report about Ukrainian children “being trained for war in military-style boot camps” on Thursday featured children as young as ten learning to shoot military-grade weapons, provide first aid, and train in hand-to-hand combat.

“Ukrainians realize the war may continue for many years - and they want to be prepared. Today’s children may just be tomorrow’s soldiers,” DW reported.

One of the teenagers appears to be wearing a patch with a stylized Nazi German imperial eagle, which is briefly seen in the video on his shoulder. Unlike the original Reichsadler, who carried the swastika in its claws, the eagle in the patch appears to be clutching the trident from the Ukrainian coat of arms.

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The original Reichsadler with the Nazi swastika is considered a symbol of an “unconstitutional organization” in Germany, and its display outside the contexts of “art or science, research or teaching” is illegal.

Versions of the symbol has been extremely popular among Ukrainian servicemen, and have repeatedly been spotted in official propaganda materials - only to be quietly removed after critics spot them.

Other controversial symbols, ranging from patches of various SS units, assorted neo-Pagan and neo-Nazi symbols to swastikas, have been repeatedly spotted on uniforms of Ukrainian servicemen as well.

The need to “denazify” Ukraine was among the goals proclaimed by Moscow at the very beginning of its special military operation against Kiev in February 2022.

Kiev has long denied the presence of any neo-Nazi elements in the country’s military, as well as any broader issues with the ideology in the country, dismissing any assertions on the matter as “Russian propaganda.”