Azov Special Operations Detachment Окремий загін спеціального призначення «Азов» | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Denys Prokopenko |
| Founder | Andriy Biletskyy |
| Founded | 5 May 2014 |
The Azov Special Operations Detachment, also known as the Azov Battalion is a neo-Nazi[1] Ukrainian militia trained, funded and armed by the United States.[2][3][4]
Six months after being founded, it was incorporated into Ukraine's official National Guard.[5] They have fought against Russia and pro-Russian rebels in Donbas.[6]
Andriy Biletskyy, the battalion's first commander, said he wants Ukraine to lead a crusade of "white races" against "Semite-led Untermenschen [subhumans]."[7]
It is a not insignificant part of the Ukrainian National Guard, being a regiment of at least 1,000 soldiers as of 2014[8] and 3,000 by 2018.[9] A regiment typically ranges from 2,000 to 8,000 heads.[10] Some allege that it plays a core role in the fascist base of the Ukrainian government in the present day whilst being the product of a line of fascists since the Nazi collaborators in WWII.[11][12]
References
- ↑ Lev Golinkin (2019-02-22). "Neo-Nazis and the Far Right Are On the March in Ukraine" The Nation. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- ↑ "Ukraine extremists armed with US antitank weapons systems - Russian OSCE ambassador" (2018-01-18).
- ↑ James Carden (2016-01-14). "Congress Has Removed a Ban on Funding Neo-Nazis From Its Year-End Spending Bill" The Nation. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- ↑ "Supporting Neo-Nazis in Ukraine".
- ↑ "Роз'яснення щодо статусу спецпідрозділу "Азов"" (2015-04-23). National Guard of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- ↑ "Ukrainian Military Personnel: Volunteers" (2015-08-04). Global Security.org. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
- ↑ Ben Chacko, John Wojcik (2022-02-03). "Neo-Nazis active in Ukraine as White House adds 3,000 troops" People's World. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
- ↑ Ultra-nationalist Ukrainian battalion gears up for more fighting (2015-03-25). Reuters
- ↑ Stephen F. Cohen (2018-05-02). "America’s Collusion With Neo-Nazis" The Nation. Archived from the original on 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/regiment
- ↑ We're arming neo-Nazis! (2022-01-25). Workers Party of Britain, YouTube
- ↑ Is Ukraine Fascist? (2015-02-03). HuffPost. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26.