Kapustin is one of the most influential de-anonymized Russian neo-Nazis, the most important link between the neo-Nazis of the ex USSR and the West. It is difficult to find an ultra-right activist in modern Russia who would make such a huge contribution to popularizing, promoting the ideology of National Socialism and establishing international relations as Kapustin. At the same time, for quite a long time Nikitin managed to remain in the shadows, he never engaged in self-PR and was not a public person. It was Denis Kapustin, who founded the most recognizable and commercially successful sports brand of ultra-right clothing White Rex, and chose the sports industry and MMA as the basis for promoting his beliefs. In a short time, under the White Rex brand, Nikitin organized many MMA tournaments. White Rex tournaments are not underground fights of neo-Nazi fans in school gyms, they are serious big events with a huge number of spectators, promotions, professional fighters and “star” guests from the world of sports. The White Rex tournaments were broadcast by the “Fighter” sports TV channel, and the brand’s merchandise could be purchased in ordinary MMA stores. Nikitin chose the field of MMA for the propaganda of neo-Nazism for a reason. From an early age, being an active football hooligan, participating in street fights, Nikitin gained authority in the football movement. International contacts and excellent awareness in the European football scene is also not accidental: until recently, Nikitin had a residence permit in Germany.
**General bio**
In 2001 Denis’ family moved to Cologne, Germany. There Kapustin became interested in bare-knuckle fighting and, at the age of 22, he joined the soccer hooligan scene and made friends with the local ultras. [According](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh4Lxp4FsEk) to Nikitin, he “was a street kid, a skinhead, a punching bag”. After several years in Germany, he returned to Russia, but he never said exactly when or why. His family stayed in Cologne.
According to the [investigation](https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/rechtsextremer-kampfsportler-der-neonazi-krieger-aus-moskau-a-1253163.html) of Der Spiegel Kapustins family has come to Germany as refugee from the Jewish contingent. In official German, the Kapustin family was henceforth a “special case” because of their presumably Jewish background. Just a few months after his arrival, Denis Kapustin received a permanent residence permit.
In 2001, his family moved to Cologne as Jewish refugees, and almost immediately received all the necessary documents. In the middle of the 2000s, Nikitin joined the hooligans of 1. FC Köln, where he received his first experience of street violence. According to him, he was never interested in football itself, and about football for him is only ultra-violence and adrenaline. Returning to Russia, Kapustin continued his hooligan “career”, joining the Moscow ultras “CSKA”. Kapustin had no profession. In Moscow he wandered for a long time through various jobs, from janitor to bouncer. After raising money in 2008 Nikitin created the clothing and MMA brand White Rex. It was mostly clothing with Nazi symbols. The brand logo was based on the “Black Sun”, which was used in Nazi Germany as an alternative to the swastika. Date of creation of the company – 14.08.2008. In 2011 jis first amateur MMA tournament “Spirit of the Warrior” was held in Voronezh. In just two years, the success of Kapustin’s projects reached the all-Russian level: in 2013, the TV channel “Fighter” named the “Birth of the Nation” tournament the best tournament in Russia, and White Rex – “the best promotion company.”
**International nazi organizer**
He made no secret of the fact that he was not interested in soccer but only violence. While living in Russia, Kapustin continued to associate with German hooligans. When he came to Germany, he fight for the Cologne soccer club. Among the Cologne ultras, Kapustin was an authority: according to him, he made the leader get rid of “racial elements”. But Kapustin did not limit himself to success in Russia, his goals were much broader – he aimed at the international stage, and was significantly successful in this. In 2013, with the support of neo-fascists from the Italian organization CasaPound, Kapustin held the “Warrior Spirit” tournament in Rome. This was White Rex’s first foray into the West, and it was successful. After Rome, Kapustin held his tournaments in France, Poland, Germany. Participation in tournaments from White Rex has become prestigious for representatives of neo-Nazi organizations from all over Europe and the USA. During his hard work, Kapustin acquired a huge number of international contacts and gained credibility with the neo-Nazi public from around the world. Many European neo-Nazi organizations collaborated with him. For example, in Germany he hosted the “Kampf der Nibelungen” tournament, supported by the German National Democratic Party (NPD) and its youth wing, the Jungen Nationalisten. The White Rex logo can be seen on the banners of the event. Several years ago, journalists from the Swiss television channel SRF carried out an investigation in which they established a financial relationship between Kapustin and Swiss businessman Peter Patrick Roth. His company Fighttex AG is a retailer of White Rex label products, and his Russian Vkontakte account has a direct link to the Fighttex AG website. Roth’s lawyer claims that this is only an “investment” by his client. At the same time, the Swiss businessman himself actively uses clothes of the White Rex brand and shows interest on the Internet to the neo-Nazi Party of Nationally Oriented Swiss (P.N.O.S.).
In 2012 Nikitin organized an event in Ukraine with leader of “Svastone” fashion brand and “Sokira Peruna” music band Arseniy Belodub. Nikitin made acquaintances in almost every European country. In Italy he befriended members of the neo-fascist CasaPound party. Together with them Nikitin held MMA tournaments in Rome. In Germany he organized the Kampf der Nibelungen competition every spring and became friends with the National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) and its youth wing Jungen Nationalisten. White Rex competitions were also held in Finland, France, the Czech Republic, Romania and other countries. Moreover, Nikitin conducted combat master classes, for example, for nationalist movements in Wales and Switzerland.
In 2016 Nikitin rounded up about a hundred Russian hooligans and went to the European Championship in Marseilles, France. The Russians brutally beat the English fans: two Englishmen fell into a coma, one remained partially paralyzed. After this Nikitin became an unwelcome guest in both Russia and Europe. In 2017 he moved to Ukraine. Nikitin was friends with almost all the far-right Russians who moved to Ukraine. He was also on good terms with Yelena Semenyaka, the international secretary of the “National Corps”.
In Kiev, he is actively involved in the local neo-Nazi movement. In addition to the usual organization of MMA tournaments, Denis Nikitin begins to cooperate with the Ukrainian nationalist party National Corps, the most influential ultra-right organization, the political wing of the Azov battalion, that became the first militant detachment formed of ultra-right activists in recent history. Nikitin is fluent in German, speaks excellent English, and often speaks as a speaker from the National Corps at international meetings of the ultra-right, conducts lectures and trainings. According to his associates, Nikitin is an exellent speaker:
“White Rex is a martial arts initiative that began in Russia but quickly spread to other European countries, including countries on other continents inhabited by Europeans. Denis talked about “sport and violence on the guard of Europe.” It was the second time I saw him perform in front of a large audience, and again it was a hit. Denis is a professional fighter and instructor, and he looks like this … He speaks very accurately and eloquently, and watching him fluently switch from English to Russian and to German for a multilingual audience is just a sight. Denis spoke about his travel experience in Europe and beyond, as well as meeting with Europeans, as well as immigrants of color “. Nikitin’s tournaments in Ukraine continue to attract the right-wings from all over the world. In 2018, the Nikitin tournament was attended by the founder of the right-wing Californian organization Rise Above Movement Robert Rundo, who would later be arrested by police for participating in the United Right march in Charlottesville, where several people died. And this is just one of the few “star” participants in Nikitin’s tournaments.
In 2019, the German authorities deprive Nikitin of a residence permit and introduce a ban on entry to all countries of the Schengen zone, explaining this by his “desire to violate the foundations of a free democratic system.” This is a huge blow for Nikitin, since having lost free movement in Europe, it becomes more difficult for him to conduct his propaganda activities. Nevertheless, his influence on the Russian and Ukrainian neo-Nazis is still great.
Nikitin was responsible for the fights at “Reconquista” club, which Azov promoted. In May 2019 Nikitin launched an MMA promotion for professional athletes from Fight Kings MMA but it closed quickly. Then Nikitin disappeared from most social media outlets. The German Der Spiegel wrote that Ukrainian police detained Nikitin on suspicion of drug trafficking, but there was no confirmation of this information. Nikitin wanted to bring White Rex to the U.S. market, so he pinned his hopes on his acquaintance with Robert Rundo and his organization RAM. After Rundo’s arrest, however, the FBI became interested in Nikitin as well. After the closure of Reconquista, Germany revoked Nikitin’s residency permit in August 2019. It is also dangerous for Nikitin to return to Russia. Nikitin held his last MMA tournament so far in Kiev in late 2019 at the Asgardsrei music festival, which was organized by Russian neo-Nazi Alexei Levkin.
**Current status**
“White Rex” brand moved to Switzerland and freezed. Kapustin is only active on his [telegram channel](https://t.me/white_powder2020). Denis Kapustin is extremely dangerous.
