Executive Summary

The white supremacist neo-Nazi terrorist organisation known as The Base is expanding its scope, aligning its interests with Russian goals, and leveraging FBI Director Kash Patel’s stand down on domestic terrorism investigations to increase its footprint in the U.S. Founded in 2018 by former U.S. Department of Homeland Security employee Rinaldo Nazzaro, the group specifically follows an accelerationist ideology aimed at fueling societal collapse through terrorist attacks. Since 2018, Nazzaro has been based in Russia, and the Base recently relocated its digital infrastructure. Furthermore, these moves coincide with allegations from former members of the organisation that Nazzaro has ties with Russian intelligence. 

Key Judgements

KJ-1. The Base has aligned its operations with Russia’s strategic interests and we do not see any indications that this trend will abate.

1. The Base recently expressed their interest to establish a white nationalist enclave in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region. Specifically, they mentioned the region’s mountainous terrain as an ideal base for paramilitary operations. An attack from the group can destabilise Ukraine and distract Ukrainian forces. [source]
2. Since late March 2025, the group’s Ukrainian cell has posted around 50 geotagged videos of spray-painted symbols in cities such as Kyiv, Odessa, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv. Ukrainian intelligence previously identified these locations as possible Russian targets for sabotage. [source]
3. As of April 2025, the Base was using Telegram channels to recruit operatives to destroy critical infrastructure and sabotage military personnel and equipment in Ukraine. [source]
4. Recent videos circulating online show members of The Base burning Ukrainian military vehicles. [source]

KJ-2. The Base’s recent anti-Ukraine focus aligns with allegations that its founder and leader, Rinaldo Nazzaro, has ties to Russian intelligence and suggests that it has become part of Moscow’s hybrid warfare toolkit.

1. Intelligence analysts and The Base’s members have suspected Nazzaro of working for Russian intelligence for years. [source]
2. In April 2025, alleged former members of The Base claimed on Telegram that Nazzaro is a spy for Russia. Moreover, the accusers allegedly saw him multiple times writing on his phone in Russian. [source]
3. In 2020, Nazzaro appeared on the media channel Russia-24 to deny any connection with Russia security services. However, the state-owned platform has been linked to disinformation. [source]
4. In 2018, Nazzaro–a native of New Jersey–moved to St. Petersburg with his family and has lived there since. [source]

KJ-3. The Base is taking advantage of recent FBI priority shifts to expand its network in the US and, absent a change in White House priorities, is likely to build a more significant footprint in that nation.

1. U.S. far-right groups in February celebrated on social media the appointment of Kash Patel as FBI director. Patel had previously declared intentions to deemphasize the investigation and prosecution of far right extremist groups in favor of more focus on unnamed left-leaning organisations. Furthermore, in March 2025, FBI cut staff in domestic terrorism offices and terminated tools for domestic terrorism tracking. [source, source, source]
2. Following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in early 2025, The Base restarted recruiting efforts in the US with new propaganda campaigns. [source]
3. Domestic terrorism watchers and experts argue that The Base is interpreting the new political direction of the US as an opportunity to raise funds and attract new recruits. [source]

Statement on Analysis

We are confident in our analysis, relying on news, official statements and intelligence reports. Notably, this assessment lies on the assumption that secondary sources reporting on The Base are accurate. Another important assumption concerns the credibility of data on Russian covert actions: these may not be completely precise, according to the secretive nature of such operations. Moreover, gaps in reporting that–if filled–might reinforce the analysis include the confirmation of Nazzaro’s ties to Russian intelligence and more data on the cooperation between Russia and far-right groups. Finally, shifts in US counterterrorism strategies, The Base’s objective, or Russia plans might alter the assessment. 

Intelligence Cut-off Date: 22 April 2025