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HUMAN rights groups in Ukraine hit out today after it was revealed that nazi militias involved in brutal and violent attacks against minorities have received cash from the government.
A report published on YouTube by the Ministry of Youth and Sports showed officials voting to fund the far-right Svoboda party along with the violent neonazi C14 group via grants for “national-patriotic education projects.”
In a statement on its website the ministry admitted that, while it does not directly finance any public groups, including the far-right, it does fund the projects of those groups.
"Through project contests, budget funds are allocated solely to support the implementation of projects of public organisations," it said.
The government refused to respond to questions regarding C14, which won its funding bid to host a children’s summer camp and a series of festivals.
The group has engaged in violent homophobic and anti-Roma attacks, including the burning of a camp in Kiev in April.
Freedom House Ukraine director Matthew Scharf criticised the selection process.
“It shouldn't be too difficult to add another criterion to grant selection — not implicated in or publicly approving of violence,” he said.