Russian Bikers Head To Berlin For WWII Rally

A group of Russian nationalist bikers is heading to Germany to try to re-educate Europe about Russia's role in the Second World War.

The motorcycling men (and one woman) of the infamous Night Wolves gang want to ride all the way to Berlin for Thursday's anniversary of the allies’ victory over the Nazis in 1945.

We caught up with them at church as part of their preparations for their trip to the German capital.

It was an odd place to find the members of the motorcycle gang - but it didn’t seem to trouble the priest at the Church of St Nicholas the Miracle Creator and his gorgeous-sounding choir.

After the purple-robed clergyman blessed a dozen or so gang members they trooped outside and he blessed their motorcycles as well, with great big swings of a water-logged brush.

The Night Wolves bikers club, an ultra-orthodox, nationalist outfit, may look like a bunch of outlaws, but they back the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to the hilt.

The leader of this group is a tall and tattooed man known as "The Surgeon" (real name, Alexander Zaldostanov) and he spoke with laser-like intensity.

"We would like to remind Europeans that it was Russia that saved them from the fascist hell," he said.

"It was first and foremost us - 30 million Soviets paid the price for this victory. We want people to remember this sacrifice."

The Surgeon and other members of the club told us that "special forces" were trying to take this victory away and enemy number one is the Polish government.

Soviet war graves are regularly vandalised in Poland and over the past 12 months several Soviet war memorials have been demolished.

But what has really infuriated the Night Wolves is a plan announced last week to remove a further 500 monuments situated throughout that country.

"This is a serious provocation," said the Surgeon.

"It is a provocation against truth. It goes against our conscience, against our honour, against our people.

"So many people died for the liberation of Poland and it will not go unnoticed."

There was a serious problem, however, with the bikers’ plans.

The journey to Berlin runs through Poland and the Polish government has decided it is not going to let the Night Wolves through.

I broke the news to several gang members at their Mad Max-styled headquarters on Moscow’s outskirts.

"Whatever," said one motorcyclist. "We are going to go there anyway."

To readers in the West, their Soviet revivalism - and their acidic world view - may sound a little crazy but it would be a mistake to write them off.

Mr Putin happens to like them. In fact, he has ridden with club members several times on his own three-wheeled Harley Davidson.

More importantly, it is thought that Mr Putin's administration has put millions of dollars into their organisation, supporting their activities and their motorcycling shows, because the man who runs this country thinks the Night Wolves are doing the president’s work.