United States: The Azov brigade, a Ukrainian military unit that was instrumental in the 2022 defense of Mariupol, a city in the southeast, is now again eligible to receive arms and training because of the lifting of a US ban.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the US State Department stated that after a “thorough review” of the current Azov battalion, “no evidence” of abuses of human rights had been discovered.
Washington emphasized that the present militia was not the same as the volunteer militia that was established in 2014, which attracted far-right fighters and criticism for some of its strategies. Because some of the regiment’s founders held neo-Nazi beliefs, the US had prohibited the regiment from utilizing its weaponry.
In a statement posted on social media, Azov described the US decision as “a new chapter in the history of our brigade.” “Getting Western equipment and training from the US will improve Azov’s fighting prowess, but more significantly, it will help protect personnel’s lives and well-being.”
One of the most successful and well-liked fighting forces in the nation, the Azov brigade was integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard as the 12th Special Forces Brigade. Its present members reject claims of radicalism and any connections to far-right movements. The initial militia was “disbanded in 2015,” according to Washington, and a spokeswoman for the State Department praised Azov for his “heroic role” in the 2022 conflict for Mariupol.
The ban’s repeal is expected to increase the brigade’s fighting capability at a crucial juncture in the conflict with Russia’s invasion, when Ukraine is suffering from ongoing manpower and ammunition shortages.
A vital role in the defense of Mariupol was played by Azov soldiers, who for weeks resisted Russian attacks and ammunition shortages while occupying the massive steel industry of the Black Sea port city.
Although the city was taken over by Russia in May 2022, Azov’s men were praised for their valor and came to represent Ukrainian resistance to Russian aggression. There are weekly protests demanding the release of hundreds of Azov POWs still held captive by Russia.
Moscow has frequently depicted the Azov as a Nazi organization and charged it with crimes, but it hasn’t shown much proof to back up these claims. In 2022, it classified the outfit as a terrorist organization.
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