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Azov Brigade

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Azov Battalion
Shield, showing sunwheel, waves, Social-National Assembly logo, and national trident
Shield, showing sunwheel, waves, Social-National Assembly logo, and national trident
Agency overview
Formed2014
Employees1000[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionUkraine
Governing bodyMinistry of Internal Affairs (Ukraine)
Specialist jurisdiction
  • Paramilitary law enforcement, counter insurgency, and riot control.
Operational structure
HeadquartersMariupol
Agency executive
Parent agencySocial-National Assembly
Deputy CommandersOleh Odnorozhenko

The Azov Battalion (Ukrainian: Батальйон Азов) is a far-right neo-Nazi[1][2][3][4] all-volunteer paramilitary militia forming part of military reserve of National Guard of Ukraine.[5][6][7][8] The unit is based in Mariupol in the Azov Sea coastal region.[9] It saw its first combat experiance recapturing Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists forces in June 2014.[7] Initially a volunteer militia, formed as the Azov Battalion on 5 May 2014 during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, Azov has since been incorporated into and is armed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.[10]

The Azov Battalion has been labelled neo-Nazi and (on the other hand) has been described as "patriots" or "a far-right Ukrainian militia".[11][12][nb 1] German ZDF television observed Azov battalion fighters wearing helmets with swastika and Nazi runic symbols, and on other occasions some of the soldiers have been reported to have SS tattoos.[13][14][15] Spokesmen and other members of the Azov Battalion and government officials have denied that the organization has any neo-Nazi or white supremacist beliefs; although a spokesman did state that "10% to 20% of the group's members are Nazis".[10][16][nb 2][nb 3] The regiment's commander and founder is Andriy Biletsky who in the past made statements about "crusade" of "White races" against "semitic untermenschen"[19] and is a leader of a Ukrainian organisation called the Social National Assembly which according to the BBC has "typical neo-Nazi narrative"[20]. Its polished English-language social media pages and far-right ideology have attracted fighters from other locations in Europe.[2] On 11 June 2015 the United States House of Representatives passed amendments blocking any training of Azov by US forces, citing its neo-Nazi background as the reason.[21] On 26th June, Canadian defense minister declared as well that training by Canadian forces or support won't be provided to Azov[22].

More than half of the Battalion members are Russian-speaking eastern Ukrainians,[23] and many of its recruits come from the eastern cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.[24] The regiment's commander is Andriy Biletsky. In its early days, Azov was the Ministry of Internal Affairs' special police company, led by Volodymyr Shpara, the leader of the Vasylkiv, Kiev, branch of Patriot of Ukraine and Right Sector.[25][26][27] Biletsky stayed out of the public spotlight working on expanding Azov to battalion size. In summer 2014 he took the command of the unit in his own hands; Shpara remained in the battalion as the commander of the 1st Company. Biletsky is also the head of two national-socialist political groups, Patriot of Ukraine and Social-National Assembly.[28] In August 2014, he was awarded a military decoration, "Order For Courage", by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, and promoted to lieutenant colonel of in the Interior Ministry's police forces.[29]

Patrons of the battalion included Oleh Lyashko, a member of the Verkhovna Rada,[30] and billionaire Ihor Kolomoyskyi.[31]

History

Arsen Avakov, the new Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine after the overthrow of the Yanukovich government, issued on April 13, 2014 a decree authorizing creating the new paramilitary force from civilians up to 12,000.[32] Avakov's deputy, Anton Heraschenko, Ministry of the Interiors, was tasked with overseeing the process of establishing of the new security force created from civilian volunteers.[30]

The Azov Battalion was formed on May 5, 2014 during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine. Among the patrons of the battalion are a member of the Verkhovna Rada Oleh Lyashko, and an ultra-nationalist Dmytro Korchynsky.[30] The battalion started in Mariupol where it was involved in combat,[7] and was briefly relocated to Berdyansk.[33]

On June 10, the battalion dismissed deputy commander Yaroslav Honchar and distanced themselves from him after Honchar made criticizing statements about looting and debauchery in Azov battalion.[34]

On 11 August, Azov battalion, backed by the Ukrainian paratroopers, captured Marinka from pro-Russian rebels and entered the suburbs of Donetsk clashing with Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) fighters.[2]

In early September 2014, the Azov battalion was engaged in the defence of Mariupol.[12] Regarding the ceasefire agreed on 5 September, Biletskiy stated "If it was a tactical move there is nothing wrong with it... if it's an attempt to reach an agreement concerning Ukrainian soil with separatists then obviously it's a betrayal."[35]

In September 2014 the Azov battalion was enrolled into the National Guard of Ukraine, and it started receiving increased supplies of heavy arms. Its volunteers began to be paid 6,000 hryvnia ($316) per month, and Biletsky concurrently toned down his nationalist rhetoric. Many supporting websites were either shut down, or access to the sites was restricted.[1]

On 14 October, Azov Battalion servicemen took part in a march to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in Kyiv organised by Right Sector.[36]

In the 26 October 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election Biletsky, the battalion's commander, won a constituency seat (as an independent candidate) in Kiev's Obolon Raion (Biletsky hails from Kharkiv) in the Ukrainian parliament.[37][38][39] In his constituency Biletsky won with 33.75% of the votes; runner up Vadym Stoylar followed with 17.17%.[40][41] In parliament Biletsky did not join any faction.[42] Member of the battalion Oleh Petrenko is also a MP for Petro Poroshenko Bloc after wining a constituency seat in Cherkasy in the same election.[43] In his constituency Petrenko won with 41.15% of the votes; runner up Valentyna Zhukovska followed with 23.65%.[40][44]

On 31 October 2014 deputy commander of the Azov Battalion Vadym Troyan was appointed head of Kiev Oblast (province) police (this police force has no jurisdiction over the city of Kiev).[45]

In January 2015, the Azov Battalion was promised a tank company and artillery units to reinforce its ranks.[1]

As of late March 2015, despite a second ceasefire agreement, The Azov Battalion has continued to prepare for war, with the group's leader seeing the ceasefire as "appeasement".[1]

In March 2015 Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced that the Azov Battalion would be among the first units to be trained by United States Army troops in their Operation Fearless Guardian training mission.[46][47] On 12 June 2015, the US House of Representatives passed an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Act blocking any aid (including arms and training) to the battalion and calling it a Neo-Nazi organization.[48] After the vote Congressman John Conyers thanked the House saying "I am grateful that the House of Representatives unanimously passed my amendments last night to ensure that our military does not train members of the repulsive neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, along with my measures to keep the dangerous and easily trafficked MANPADs out of these unstable regions."[47]

Organisation

Key figures in the battalion include its commander Andriy Biletsky and his deputy Oleh Odnoroshenko.[6]

A 16 July 2014 report placed the Azov Battalion's strength at 300.[6] An earlier report stated that on June 23 almost 600 volunteers, including women, took oaths to joined the "Donbass" and "Azov" battalions.[49] Recruits receive a salary of US$360.[50]

The political organization Social-National Assembly led by the battalion's leader Biletsky calls for the expansion of Ukraine, the "struggle for the liberation of the entire White Race," and seeks to "punish severely sexual perversions and any interracial contacts".[6] Swedish volunteer Mikael Skillt told the BBC that while the Battalion did include others sharing his views - those calling themselves national socialists or adorned with swastikas - not all agreed, and one member was even "a liberal".[6]

Interviewed while engaged in military operations in eastern Ukraine, one member of the battalion stated that the unit was on edge because they were "behind enemy lines" and opposed by "the police, the army and the people" whom he said they did not trust.[7] According to London's Sunday Times, the Azov Battalion was deployed against militants by the Ukrainian government because it feared its regular forces were infiltrated by Russian sympathizers.[7] The monthly salary of its members has been reported to be US$70.[51]

The battalion is also referred to as the "Men in Black".[7]

Neo-Nazi ideology and symbols

Richard Sakwa writing about the battalion's ideology points out that it's founding member Andryi Biletsky, leader of the extremist Social Nationalist Assembly made statements about "historic mission" to lead "White Races of the world in a final crusade for their survival...a crusade against the Semite-led untermenschen; according to Sakwa the ideology has its root in national integralism of 1920s and 30s.[52]

Troops of the Azov Battalion use the Social-National Assembly logo, an inverted Wolfsangel — a widely used symbol in Nazi Germany — on their banner, and some members are open white supremacists or anti-Semites.[2][53] Members of the unit have stated that the inverted Wolfsangel has a different history in Ukraine and represents the Ukrainian words for "idea of a nation".[45] In addition to the Wolfsangel, Azov soldiers have also been observed using stylized SS runes and swastikas on their uniforms.[54] The Azov Battalion has dismissed accusations that their unit promotes fascist symbolism, stating that any resemblance to Nazi symbols is a result of Russian propaganda. It also states that the battalion's logo is based on the Coat of arms of Ukraine, which has been used to symbolize Ukraine since 1918.[55] Azov Battalion troops have denied that the organization has any neo-Nazi or white supremacist beliefs.[56] The unit has denied being a Ukrainian nationalist group and states that a majority of its members are Russian-speaking Ukrainians and that multiple Russian citizens have joined the unit.[55]

Foreign membership

According to the UK publication The Telegraph, the Azov Battalion's extremist politics and professional English social media pages have attracted foreign fighters.[2] The Russian and Ukrainian security expert at New York University, Mark Galeotti, has described groups like the Azov Battalion as magnets attracting violent, fringe elements from around and outside Ukraine, warning that they will continue to play an outsized role in Ukrainian affairs after the war.[2]

Azov's leader, Biletsky, states that he has received recruits from Ireland, Italy, Greece and Scandinavia.[2] In mid-July 2014, the BBC reported that the battalion had recruited the former Swedish Army and Swedish Home Guard sniper Mikael Skillt.[6] Skillt, a Swedish white supremacist, joined the Azov Battalion for ideological reasons.[6] Anton Gerashenko denied this but did claim "foreign journalists, from Sweden, Spain and Italy, who have come to report on the heroic achievements of the fighters in their struggle against terrorism" were accompanying the unit.[6] Gerashenko insisted he had never heard of Mikael Skillt.[6] Asked about Skillt in a late-July interview with Swedish Radio, Gerashenko pointed out that it's forbidden by law for foreign citizens to fight and asked for understanding that he'd "stay tight-lipped" about the topic.[57] Political scientist Anton Shekhovtsov told the Swedes that at this time four Swedish neo-Nazis were fighting with Azov, while the Swedish national police confirmed "several".[57]

In December 2014, the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KhPG) condemned Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko for granting Ukrainian citizenship and awarding a medal to Belarusian neo-Nazi and Azov Battalion commander of reconnaissance Sergei Korotkykh. According to Anton Shekhovtsov, Korotkykh founded a Russian neo-Nazi group, and he also was charged in Belarus for alleged involvement in a Moscow bombing and detained there for allegedly stabbing an anti-fascist organizer.[58]

Azov was also active in recruiting Russian FSB lieutenant Ilya Bogdanov who defected to Ukraine during the War in Donbass, however the former Russian officer decided to join the Right Sector as he stated the organization is more active in the war than the Azov battalion.[59][60] About 50 Russian nationals are members of the Azov regiment.[61]

Around 20 Croatians joined the Azov Battalion in January 2015, ranging in age from 20 to 45.[62][63] After Croatia's foreign minister Vesna Pusić confirmed that there are Croatian volunteers in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry called Croatia to withdraw its citizens from armed conflict. Pusić replied that Croatia opposes any involvement of Croatian citizens in the war, and stated that they went on their private initiative and that Croatia is working on bringing them home.[64] Interior minister Ranko Ostojić said that Croatian volunteers are fighting on the side of the legitimate Ukrainian government and are not committing any kind of crime according to Croatian law.[65]

According to French volunteers fighting for the insurgent side, the Azov Battalion has a French instructor named Gaston Besson who tried to recruit them over the internet.[66] Journalists interviewed him in his home in Pula, Croatia; he is a retired captain of Croatian Army and veteran of Croatian War of Independence. He confirmed that he is a coordinator for the unit.[citation needed] According to Polish researcher Kacper Rekawek, on each of the sides in the Ukrainian conflict there are around 300 foreign citizens, including some 100 Serbs and around 25 Croats.[67]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Azov Battalion.

Notes

  1. ^ The BBC's Fergal Keane has described the unit as "a far-right Ukrainian militia".[12]
  2. ^ A ministerial adviser, Anton Geraschenko, has stated late 2014 "The Social-National Assembly is not a neo-Nazi organization," he said. "It is a party of Ukrainian patriots..."[6][17][11]
  3. ^ Early March 2015 spokesman for the Azov Brigade Andriy Diachenko told USA Today "only 10% to 20% of the group's members are Nazis. "I know Alex is a Nazi, but it's his personal ideology. It has nothing to do with the official ideology of the Azov".[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Baczynska, Gabriela (25 March 2015). "Ultra-nationalist Ukrainian battalion gears up for more fighting". Reuters. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Parfitt, Tom (11 August 2014). "Ukraine crisis: the neo-Nazi brigade fighting pro-Russian separatists". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 August 2014. 'The historic mission of our nation in this critical moment is to lead the White Races of the world in a final crusade for their survival,' [Biletsky] wrote in a recent commentary. 'A crusade against the Semite-led Untermenschen.'
  3. ^ Ayres, Sabra (24 July 2014). "Driven by far-right ideology, Azov Battalion mans Ukraine's front line". Al Jazeera America. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  4. ^ Walker, Shaun (10 September 2014). "Azov fighters are Ukraine's greatest weapon and may be its greatest threat". The Guardian Media. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  5. ^ Margarete Klein (April 2015). "Ukraine's volunteer battalions – advantages and challenges" (PDF). Swedish Defence Research Agency.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Newman, Dina (16 July 2014). "Ukraine conflict: 'White power' warrior from Sweden". BBC News. The Azov Battalion was formed and armed by Ukraine's interior ministry. A ministerial adviser, Anton Gerashchenko, [was asked] if the battalion had any neo-Nazi links through the Social National Assembly. 'The Social National Assembly is not a neo-Nazi organisation,' he said. 'It is a party of Ukrainian patriots…'
  7. ^ a b c d e f Pancevski, Bojan (11 May 2014). "Kiev lets loose Men in Black". The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  8. ^ Katie Stallard (25 May 2014). "Ukraine Militia 'Ready To Take On Separatists'". Sky News. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  9. ^ "Separatists fired on a bus with fighters of special purpose police battalion "Azov"". Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 7 May 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  10. ^ a b Ukraine crisis: Inside the Mariupol base of the controversial Azov battalion, ABC Online (24 March 2015)
  11. ^ a b Rico, R.J. (10 September 2014). "The ultras, Azov Battalion, and soccer from inside Ukraine". VICE Sports. [The] members of Azov Battalion … have been labeled patriots by some, neo-Nazis by others….
  12. ^ a b c Fergal Keane (5 September 2014). "Ukraine crisis: Heavy shelling in hours before ceasefire". BBC. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  13. ^ [1]
  14. ^ [2]
  15. ^ [3]
  16. ^ How Many Neo-Nazis Is the U.S. Backing in Ukraine?, The Daily Beast (6 September 2015)
  17. ^ Alec Luhn (30 August 2014). "Preparing for War With Ukraine's Fascist Defenders of Freedom". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  18. ^ Volunteer Ukrainian unit includes Nazis, USA Today (March 10, 2015)
  19. ^ Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands Richard Sakwa page 158
  20. ^ [4]
  21. ^ U.S. House Passes 3 Amendments By Rep. Conyers To Defense Spending Bill To Protect Civilians From Dangers Of Arming and Training Foreign ForcesCongressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congressman Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) offered bipartisan amendments to block the training of the Ukrainian neo-Nazi paramilitary militia “Azov Battalion
  22. ^ [5]
  23. ^ "Driven by far-right ideology, Azov Battalion mans Ukraine’s front line - Al Jazeera America". Retrieved 2014-09-06.
  24. ^ Oren Dorell (10 March 2015). "Volunteer Ukrainian unit includes Nazis". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  25. ^ Template:Ref-uk Павєл Шеремет. Командир батальйону "Азов": Найстрашніша помилка влади - політичні переговори з сепаратистами, Українська правда (Ukrainian pravda), June 17, 2014.
  26. ^ Template:Ref-uk Володимир Шпара очолив «Правий сектор» в місті Васильків та Васильківському районі, The Right Sector press-service, March 26, 2014.
  27. ^ Template:Ref-ru Командир батальона "Азов" Владимир Шпара: "Мы ришли не за властью, а защищать свою Родину", June 12, 2014.
  28. ^ Andreas Umland and Anton Shekhovtsov. Ukraine’s Radical Right. Journal of Democracy25/3
  29. ^ Template:Ref-uk УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ № 631/2014 "Про відзначення державними нагородами України", August 15, 2014.
  30. ^ a b c Anna Nemtsova. War and Murder in Eastern Ukraine, The Daily Beast, 27 May 2014.
  31. ^ Damien Sharkov (9 November 2014). "Ukrainian Nationalist Volunteers Committing 'ISIS-Style' War Crimes". europe.newsweek.com. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  32. ^ Template:Ref-ru Для урегулирования ситуация на Юго-Востоке МВД создает спецподразделения по охране общественного порядка, Arena.in.ua, 15 April 2014.
  33. ^ Azov Battalion announced signing of new warriors, TSN News, May 20, 2014.
  34. ^ "azov-vidkhrestyvsia-vid-krytyka-ato-yaroslava-honchara", 5.ua
  35. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Ceasefire is 'largely holding'". BBC. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  36. ^ "Right Sector, Azov Battalion march to commemorate the Ukrainian Insurgent Army". KyivPost. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  37. ^ Steve Rosenberg (24 October 2014). "Ukraine election: Land of chaos and courage". BBC. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  38. ^ Ukraine Government Heralds Election, But Not All Voters Feel Inspired, wsj.com (Oct. 24, 2014)
  39. ^ Ukraine has ignored the far right for too long – it must wake up to the danger, theguardian.com (13 November 2014)
  40. ^ a b "Extraordinary parliamentary election on 26.10.2014: Data on vote counting at precincts within single-mandate districts". Central Election Commission of Ukraine. 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 29 October 2014 suggested (help)
  41. ^ Парламентські вибори: Кандидати на мажоритарних округах: Одномандатний виборчий округ № 217 [Parliamentary elections: Candidates for the majority constituencies: single-mandate constituency No. 217] (in Ukrainian). RBK Ukraine. 30 October 2014. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  42. ^ Template:Uk icon profile, on the official website of the Ukrainian parliament
  43. ^ Template:Uk icon Full list of newly elected People's Deputies, Televiziyna Sluzhba Novyn (12 November 2014)
  44. ^ Парламентські вибори: Кандидати на мажоритарних округах: Одномандатний виборчий округ № 22 [Parliamentary elections: Candidates for the majority constituencies: single-mandate constituency No. 22] (in Ukrainian). RBK Ukraine. 5 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-12-05.
  45. ^ a b Former Azov battalion leader works to clean up Kyiv regional police, his image, Kyiv Post (3 December 2014)
  46. ^ "US forces to hold exercises in Ukraine". Huffington Post. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  47. ^ a b John Conyers, Jr (11 June 2015). "U.S. House Passes 3 Amendments By Rep. Conyers To Defense Spending Bill To Protect Civilians From Dangers Of Arming and Training Foreign Forces". US House of Representatives. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  48. ^ Carden, James (12 June 2015). "Why Is Washington Still Pushing for War With Russia?". The Nation. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  49. ^ Will Stewart and Sara Malm. Ukraine's women sign up to fight as top politician claims number of children killed is 'ten times higher than official toll', UK Newsday, 23 June 2014.
  50. ^ "reinforcements-for-azov", euromaidanpress.com, 2014/06/24.
  51. ^ "Leaders talk peace, some Ukrainians contemplate guerrilla war". Washington Post. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  52. ^ Frontline Ukraine: Crisis in the Borderlands by Richard Sakwa, I.B.Tauris Publishers December 2014, page 158
  53. ^ "Ukraine underplays role of far right in conflict". BBC. 13 December 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  54. ^ "Ukrainian soldiers seen wearing helmets with Nazi swastika and SS symbols". Haaretz. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  55. ^ a b "Russians Join Ukraine's Azov Battalion: Volunteers say Putin regime poses threat to Europe". Ukraine Today.
  56. ^ How Many Neo-Nazis Is the U.S. Backing in Ukraine?, The Daily Beast (6 September 2015)
  57. ^ a b Swedish neo-Nazis join fight in Ukraine, The Local Sweden, 30 July 2014.
  58. ^ "Note to Ukraine: Stop Whitewashing the Political Record". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  59. ^ "Сотрудник ФСБ: "Русские сидят на печи и деградируют. Украинцы - меняют власть"". Charter 97.
  60. ^ "Russian FSB officer defects to Ukraine". Euromaidan Press.
  61. ^ Sukhov, Oleg (24 April 2015). "Foreigners Who Fight And Die For Ukraine: Russians join Ukrainians to battle Kremlin in Donbas". Kyiv Post.
  62. ^ Marić, Leo (6 February 2015). "Dragovoljci iz Hrvatske bore se u Ukrajini protiv Rusa" (in Croatian). Sloboda. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  63. ^ Kristović, Ivica (11 February 2015). "Dao sam otkaz, ostavio ženu i djecu te krenuo pomoći Ukrajincima". Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  64. ^ Krnić, Denis (14 February 2015). "Otkrivamo zašto je Putin ljut samo na Hrvate: naredba je - zapovjednika iz "Azova" uhvatiti živog!". Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  65. ^ "Pusić: Ima hrvatskih vojnika koji su se priključili ukrajinskoj vojsci" (in Croatian). Index.hr. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  66. ^ Французский шарм ополчения Донбасса, Komsomolskaya Pravda, August 26, 2014 (Russian) - Video of the Interview, with English subtitles on YouTube
  67. ^ "Balkan Citizens Fight in Ukraine and Syria". Retrieved 24 June 2015.
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