Spanish National Police have accused members of the far-right group Núcleo Nacional of traveling to Ukraine to receive paramilitary training in preparation for an “armed uprising” in Spain.
According to a summary of the investigation from the Gijón Court of Instruction number 1, 14 individuals were arrested last Friday during a series of coordinated raids across Asturias, Madrid, Guadalajara, Burgos, Alicante, Pontevedra, and Valladolid.
The investigation, as reported by Efe, documents the seizure of bladed weapons, pyrotechnic material, and propaganda featuring Nazi and fascist symbols. Authorities stated that the group’s leadership intended to use the training to organize a domestic insurgency, with group member Iván Rico Olivares—known as “el Rana”—asserting in an intercepted communication that “without training, no uprising will work.”
Police records show that several members of the organization traveled to Ukraine in August to establish contact with the 12th Azov Brigade. On August 21, intercepted communications from Rico Olivares detailed plans to fly to the region; the following day, five members—Rico Olivares, José Manuel Vaquero Martín, Rafael Bonal Sánchez, Roberto Cuadrado Alonso, and Aitor Rodríguez Arizmendi—departed for Munich.
In subsequent messages, one member described his location to his wife as an apartment and military camp “only twenty kilometers from the Russian border,” noting the presence of destroyed buildings and the sound of air raid sirens. Social media posts analyzed by the police show the group members wearing tactical equipment and ballistic vests while handling AK-47 assault rifles during firing exercises.
The police report describes Núcleo Nacional as having a hierarchical structure overseen by a central board known as “la cúpula.” This leadership group consists of seven members: Iván Rico Olivares, Alberto Gonzalo de Juan, David Rico Olivares, Enrique Lemus Sánchez, Jesús Antonio Ruiz, Joaquín Yebra-Pimentel Álvarez, and Carlos José Coloma.
Police arrest 12 people and search Núcleo Nacional’s headquarters in a secret operation. A police operation against Núcleo Nacional has resulted in 12arrests in several Spanish provinces, including Pontevedra, Burgos, Alicante, Valladolid, Asturias, Guadalajara and Madrid. https://t.co/AzECVAzMSg
The organization operates through seven specialized departments, including security, finance, legal affairs, and social media propaganda. Investigators identified a network of seven consolidated delegations in cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Murcia, alongside thirteen active “pre-delegations” in regions such as the Basque Country, Navarre, and the Canary Islands. Authorities estimate the group currently has approximately 60 members across Spain.
The arrests follow an ongoing judicial investigation led by the Gijón court. The confiscated materials and intercepted communications are currently being processed as part of the case file. No further arrests or specific court dates have been announced following last Friday’s operation.
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