Terrible article, worst I have read in a while. Jazz shaw, please retire from journalism.
I felt total disgust as I read this author being totally dismissive of Azov war crimes in Mariupol.
There are multiple testimonies from civilians who were actually in Azovstal with the militants, who testified after release that they were held against their will, threatened with being shot if they tried to leave.
Azov also threatened and shot Ukrainian marines who tried to surrender.
But this author portrays Azov as victims.
Also Azov has been well documented of being associated with atrocities against ethnic Russians (ukrainian citizens in the east) for 8 years. Systematic war crimes on Ukrainians — torture, ethnic cleansing, whatever they wanted to do.
The US congress explicitly forbade direct funding of them by law because of this history.
Also the author talks about how Azov are the defenders native to the land and Russians are foreign invaders.
Does he not know that there are plenty of Ukrainian fighters of DNR and LNR? Does he not know that Mariupol residents hate them?
Please watch this video and tell me if it is accurate to describe them as locals who are loved and defending a place they are from. None of the Azov people are actually from the area. Watch this video which shows you how they first set up shop in this area, against strong hostility from the residents, in 2014
https://piped.kavin.rocks/watch?v=bQ5H9S2pv08
There is a reason there is outrage in Russia about the idea of trading or releasing Azov fighters. It’s because they know something the western press refuses to tell people about.
The [Origin, Rise and] Fall of the Azov by Jacob Dreizin
[Best explanation of the genesis, history and the end of the Azovites in Ukraine.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jm3AqnL2rQ&ab_channel=TheDuran