Karelian Tribal Group

Karelian Group “Nord” is a volunteer unit as part of the Russian Volunteer Corps, within the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine.

The unit was formed on January 19, 2023, through the initiative of the Karelian National Movement and became known as the Karelian National Battalion. The unit saw no real activities apart from psychological and information warfare in Ukraine and Karelia, with the first active fighters of the unit allegedly arriving in Ukraine in February 2023. Volunteers of the unit consist of indigenous people of Karelia and fraternal Finno-Ugric and Scandinavian ethnic groups.

In 2023, following the incursions into Bryansk and Belgorod Oblasts in Russia, the Karelian National Movement severed ties with the Karelian National Battalion due to conflicts over ideological goals and differences.

In October 2023, the unit underwent a revival with a new insignia and a new parent unit belonging to the Russian Volunteer Corps rather than a separate unit. The unit also changed its name in early 2024 to Karelian Group. Since then, the battalion has participated in combat and training alongside the RDK and has been heavily involved in defending Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, as well as various other operations in the Black Sea.

Insignia

The insignia features a stylized diamond with a crown at its peak. The border of the insignia was red, followed by black, and a green centre, depicting the colors of the Karelian flag. The top of the insignia features an inscription of “Karjala”, and the central imagery contains an arm with armored plating and a sabre – a reference to the Academic Karelia Society. Below this is a Wolfsangel symbol.