Espanola (battalion)
| Espaniola | |
|---|---|
| Эспаньола | |
| Also known as | 88th Reconnaissance and Sabotage Brigade |
| Founders | Stanislav Orlov Alexander Khodakovsky |
| Leader | Stanislav Orlov |
| Dates of operation | 2022–present |
| Allegiance | Russia |
| Slogan | «Чаю воскресения мертвых и жизни будущаго века. Аминь» |
| Size | 150+ (February 2023) |
| Part of | Volunteer Corps |
| Battles and wars | Battle of Mariupol |
Espanola battalion (spelt like Espanyola, Spanish: Española, Russian: Эспаньола) is a Russian Irregular military formation created from radical fans of football clubs, including CSKA, Spartak, Torpedo, Zenit, Lokomotiv, Orel and other teams. The detachment commander is a representative of the Red-Blue Warriors group Stanislav Orlov, call sign “Испанец” (Spaniard).
At the beginning of its existence, the formation existed under the Vostok battalion of the self-proclaimed DPR. Currently, the battalion is controlled by the PMC "Redut".
Some of the members of the battalion espouse right wing, far right and neo-Nazi views. Espanola is also known as the "88th Brigade", which according to Molfar is an explicit neo-Nazi reference. Members of the brigade refer to "14/88" and some have the numbers as a tattoo.