Evidence of the prosperity of Nazism in Ukraine is being disseminated in social networks and telegram channels. They write that allegedly for the Kharkiv operation, the servicemen of the 92nd brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded “Steel Crosses”, like the “Iron Crosses”, which were awarded in the Wehrmacht to “the biggest thugs”. Like, the awards have a similar design. It is not true.

The “Steel Cross” badge has nothing to do with the Nazi “Iron Cross”, moreover, there are no Nazi symbols on it. The Ukrainian award “Steel Cross” combined the symbols of the regimental power of the Zaporizhzhia Host (crossed feathers) and successful campaigns against enemies (the heraldic sign of the Ukrainian hetman Konstiantyn Ostrozkyi, who defeated the Moscow army near Orsha in 1514). In addition, the modern award was created on the prototype of the “Iron Cross of the UNR Army”, founded back in 1920 by Symon Petliura after the First winter campaign.

As StopFake writes, the Wehrmacht really had an award called the “Iron Cross”. However, it is wrong to consider this military order exclusively Nazi. The fact is that the order was originally founded in 1813 in the Kingdom of Prussia, it was awarded to the military who distinguished themselves in the war against the Napoleonic army. After the establishment of the Weimar Republic in Germany, it was decided to abolish all former orders. The Order of the Iron Cross was restored in 1939 in Nazi Germany and lasted until 1945. In modern Germany, it is permissible to wear the Iron Cross from the Second World War, but only without a swastika.