Russian National Union

The Russian National Union (Russkiy Natsional’niy Soyuz, Russkiĭ Nacionalhniĭ Soûz, Русский Национальний Союз) was a Neo-Nazi party in Russia which split from Pamyat in 1992 (although the party was officially constituted on 6 May 1993).

Led by Konstantin Kassimovsky, the party represented a more hard-line version of Pamyat and was accused by its opponents of Neo-Nazism. The party adopted its own flag, which it claimed represented the letters chi and rho in the Greek alphabet, although critics have argued that it is a deliberate attempt to recall the swastika, including in its use of the Nazi colours of red, white and black [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/r/ru}rns.gif] .

Under the leadership of Kassimovsky and Aleksei Vdovin, it became known for holding rallies in support of such causes as white South Africa and the Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The party had mooted forming an alliance with the minor Peoples National Party of Aleksandr Ivanov-Sukharevsky as Russian Action, although this came to nothing and ultimately the RNU ran for the State Duma alone and failed to gain representation.

Despite its relatively small size the party had an extensive printing operation, producing the newspaper "Shturmovik" and the magazine "Natsiya", as well as a number of books and pamphlets.

The name disappeared from Russian politics in November 1998 when Kassimovsky changed the party into the Russian National Socialist Party.

The party should not be confused with Russian National Unity, a larger group with similar roots, although with no direct connection.