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TM Militarist

Militarist
Native name
Мілітарист
IndustryRetail
Founded2005 (2005)
Founder
  • Oleksandr Karasov
BrandsM-TAC
Websitemilitarist.ua

TM "Militarist" (Ukrainian: ТМ «Мілітарист») is a retailer of tactical equipment, clothing and outdoor gear. Initially a retailer of airsoft equipment, the company expanded into a wider range of military equipment following the Euromaidan and the War in Donbas.[1][2]

The company is best known for its M-TAC line of tactical clothing, prominently worn by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, the company has also faced criticism due to its association with the Azov movement and other prominent figures in the Ukrainian far-right.[3][4][5]

History

M-TAC Fleece jacket worn by Volodymyr Zelenskyy

In 2014, Militarist unveiled its own in-house brand labelled M-TAC, due to demand as a result of the deteriorating situation in the Donbass following the Maidan Revolution.

Subsequently, the brand has adopted the motto "Born of revolution, hardened by war".[6]

On 16 February 2022, during a visit to Mariupol to oversea military exercises, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was first seen wearing an olive green M-TAC jacket.[7]

In May 2022, an M-TAC fleece jacket worn by Volodymyr Zelenskyy sold at a Christie's auction for £90,000 during the "Brave Ukraine" fundraiser in London, England.[8] The auction was attended by Boris Johnson, the then prime minister of the United Kingdom, personally calling for much higher bids than the starting price.[9]

M-TAC equipment is featured in the 2025 first-person shooter video game Battlefield 6.[10]

Controversies

In August 2021, a day before the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian independence, Oleksandr Karasov the founder and owner of Miltarist shared an image of himself performing a Nazi salute in the direction of a Ukrainian flag.[11] Karasov has additionally posted messages in favour of the NSBM band WotanJungend,The Holocaust, Rudolf Hess and Adolf Hitler.[3][12] Karasov is a prominent supporter of the Ukrainian Azov Regiment and National Corps, with the company receiving the praise of the far-right politician and military commander Andriy Biletsky.[13][14] The company also works in close cooperation with Right Sector and the clothing brands SvaStone and R3ICH.[3][15]

M-TAC, along with SvaStone and the Third Army Corps sponsor the "Idu Na Vi" MMA competition held in Kyiv.[16] On the Militarist website, a section is dedicated to equipment used by the Third Army Corps.

References

  1. ^ Bacon, John. "Zelenskyy's fleece jacket is in high demand but won't be restocked until Ukraine 'victory'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  2. ^ Tobin, Ben. "Meet M-TAC". Business Insider. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  3. ^ a b c "Post Vilnius NATO Summit it has been all downhill for Zelensky". The Dig. 2023-08-14. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  4. ^ "American Hate Group Looks to Make Allies in Europe". FRONTLINE | PBS | Official Site | Documentary Series. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  5. ^ MrPike (2023-08-09). "Company Group Team". Cerebro (in Czech). Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  6. ^ "Zelensky's green fleece jacket is in high demand". South China Morning Post. 2022-05-23. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  7. ^ "The Real Reason Zelenskyy Doesn't Wear a Suit". POLITICO. 2025-03-08. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  8. ^ Sottile, Zoe (2022-05-08). "Zelensky's iconic fleece sold for over $100,000 at Ukraine fundraiser". CNN. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  9. ^ "PM address at the Brave Ukraine fundraising event: 5 May 2022". GOV.UK. 2022-05-05. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  10. ^ Кучеренко, Андрей (2025-11-07). "M-TAC gear spotted in Battlefield 6". hi-Tech.ua. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  11. ^ "Facebook". archive.ph. 2023-03-14. Archived from the original on 2023-03-17. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  12. ^ Monitoring, Bellingcat Anti-Equality (2019-09-04). "The "Hardcore" Russian Neo-Nazi Group That Calls Ukraine Home". bellingcat. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  13. ^ "Билецкий: Половина людей, которые воевали за Украину, разговаривает на русском языке". Гордон | Gordon (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  14. ^ "Резонансные «теракты» и другие убийства в Украине. «Азовский» след". racurs.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  15. ^ SvaStone Style (2024-10-24). Історії сили, патріотизму та війни за Українську ідентичність! @SvaStoneStyle. Retrieved 2026-02-11 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ Postma, Foeke (2022-05-24). "Fascist Fashion: How Mainstream Businesses Enable the Sale of Far-Right Merchandise". bellingcat. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
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