What Is Ukraine’s Azov Battalion?

Snopes ^

[navysealdad]

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing military violence and instability have mobilized far-right extremists, playing into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s propaganda about “neo-Nazis” running the country as justification for invading Ukraine.

In a speech given just before Russia launched its ongoing attack on Ukraine, Putin justified what he described as a “special military operation.

[Empire_of_Liberty]

I am still trying to figure this out, though I won’t go to snowpees for an answer.

The best I can come to is that the Azov are Anti-Communist / Anti-Russian. I am sure that there is a lot of bad blood in the region for Stalin and what the Russians and Communists did in the past.

The only force in recent times to come through Ukraine and kick Russian ass were the Nazis. These Azov guys are those kind of “Nazis”. They want to kill Communists/Russians, but I doubt they’re pining for a return of Hitler. They’ve never read Mine Kampf, and they seem to be able to work with a Jewish President.

That’s my take, for now, anyway.

[lizma2]

Heard today that even though Zelensky has canceled several political parties, including their libertarian party, he didn’t cancel their Nazi party.

No fan here of Zelensky but my heart goes out to the Ukranian people and even the Russian people who are getting hurt by this.

Met a women recently who is an American citizen (hates Biden) who grew up in Moscow. Her mom who still lives in Moscow can no longer get her monthly eye injection to keep her sight because of the sanctions.

[jacknhoo]

I posted this the other day, but it bears repeating.

I suggest you watch these two movies and then read from Greg Rubrini and do a bit more digging before believing that it’s just Russia killing Ukraine. Ukraine is simply being used by the CIA, WEF, Soros, etc as a means to war/regime change with/in Russia who is a monkey wrench in the gears of one world government.

US, RUSSIA, UKRAINE
Joe Biden and the 2014 Coup in Ukraine: 100 people massacred
Barack Obama, Joe Biden involved. And George Soros, John Brennan, John Kerry, Victoria Nuland, Eric Ciaramella and more.

https://gregrubini.substack.com/p/massacre-ukraine-2014?s=r

Ukraine On Fire
https://rumble.com/vwxxi8-ukraine-on-fire.html

And part 2
Revealing Ukraine
https://rumble.com/vwy6pm-revealing-ukraine.html

[UMCRevMom@aol.com]

“The ominous-looking crossed letter Z calls to mind a modified Ukrainian Trident. But, to the critics, it appears too close to the SS emblem or the swastika.

In the seven years since Azov was formed, it has been cleaned up to become a special unit in the Ukrainian National Guard, but the smear of being a neo-Nazi militia is still being artificially inflated out of proportion.”

“Azov is extremely effective against the Kremlin-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. The fact is, Russian aggression was the only reason Azov was formed in the first place, so the Kremlin has only itself to blame for it.

The Azov battalion was organized in 2014 when the poorly armed and unprepared Ukrainian army was forced to fight an unexpected war against Kremlin-orchestrated “separatism” in eastern Ukraine. Seeing how the military was failing, one of the richest Ukrainian industrialists and the governor of the Dnipro Oblast, Igor Kolomoisky, spent a hefty chunk of his own money to recruit and arm a volunteer battalion to defend Ukraine.

The unit was named Azov after the small Azov Sea in southern Ukraine. This was quickly followed by a series of Ukrainian victories, in which Azov played a part. Its initial sponsor, Kolomoisky, is Jewish and has since become an Israeli citizen, living in Israel. Not exactly neo-Nazi material, but the media influencers conveniently omit that fact. The smear is as absurd as if Hitler were to spread rumors about General Patton being a Nazi so as to hinder the American war effort.”
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2022/03/about_those_neonazis_in_ukraine.htm

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

As my PolySci prof said to us in my class in the early 80’s.

“The only difference between the two are 5 letters.”

“I N T E R.”

Never forgot that.

And loved him bringing his Standard Poodle to class.

[navysealdad]

Even Snopes see what Azov is.
From Snopes: “The unit has denied it adheres to Nazi ideology as a whole, but Nazi symbols such as the swastika and SS regalia are rife on the uniforms and bodies of Azov members,” Al Jazeera reported in a March 2022 profile of the group. Its insignia strongly resembles a Wolfsangel, an ancient rune appropriated by Nazi Germany.

Former U.S. Rep. Max Rose, D-N.Y., tried unsuccessfully to get the group classified by the U.S. State Department as a foreign terror organization. The group has been accused of human rights abuses, while the violence in the region has been a magnet for foreign extremists to join Azov and learn combat skills.

[SecondAmendment]

> The ominous-looking crossed letter Z calls to mind a modified Ukrainian Trident. But, to the critics, it appears too close to the SS emblem or the swastika.

I don't buy this lame explanation at all.

Europe (and the world for that matter) were so traumatized by the Nazis that its illegal to show a swastika in any WWII themed video games (I am looking at you COD: Vanguard) or videos on YouTube today.

[lizma2]

Thanks for the info!!

[UMCRevMom@aol.com]

I checked the RAIR Foundation media bias fact check.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/rair-foundation-usa/

“RAIR Foundation USA extreme right-biased and questionable based on the promotion of propaganda and conspiracy theories, poor sourcing, and failed fact checks. Further, they lack transparency, indicating they are an imposter foundation website.

RAIR claims to be a foundation; however, with a complete lack of transparency with the people involved, financial disclosures, and ownership, it is best to describe them as an imposter site posing as a foundation.”

**MBFC [media bias fact check]scored a perfect 100/100 rating by Newsguard, which rates the credibility of Media Sources. We believe it is significant that a competitor gave us this score.

[tophat9000]

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/german-tv-shows-nazi-symbols-helmets-ukraine-soldiers-n198961

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/allegations-of-canadian-troops-training-neo-nazis-and-war-criminals-sparks-military-review

https://thegrayzone.com/2022/03/04/nazis-ukrainian-war-russia/

[buwaya]

In what sense? Based on any possible complaints about the process? In that case there are no democracies in this world, someone’s always got a beef. Certainly there is no democracy in the US.

[Jane Long]

This is an interview of Lara Logan, on Real America News….same outlet that airs Bannon’s War Room and MANY other great programs.

Lara Logan is a LONG TIME war correspondent who has earned her stripes and the admiration of plenty of FReepers, over the years.

I’m sure other accounts have posted/uploaded this excellent interview, but…this was the first link I saw.

What, exactly, about anything she has stated, in this interview are you taking issue with?

Did you even watch it?

[Widget Jr]

Actually a fair article.

In terms of number and real influence, the Azov Battalion in Ukrainian politics and society is small. The larger issue is, their existence can be exploited by outside governments and politics as "Ukrainian Nazism". American political labels do not apply outside our borders. When ever I see someone applying American political labels to a group outside the U.S., I have learned to take what is said skeptically. It usually is done to assign "good guys" and "bad guys" for political reasons that have nothing to do with actual right and wrong. The bitter irony her is, by Putin's standards, Russia needs de-Nazification more than Ukraine does.

(picture links to Pew Research)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Snopes

A man & his wife and their cat who admitted they have no special qualifications, but just Google things.

The man had an affair with the maid. Wife divorced him.

Now, it is the man, no one knows if the cat is alive, and no one knows if the maid moved in.

He still has no qualifications.

[buwaya]

Mein Kampf is well worth a read. Hitler was a very interesting and unpleasant screwball, which comes out in his own words. The only really unique thing in his ideological vision is the hatred of Jews. He got imprinted on that very early on, in his starving student days in Vienna.

Other than the Jew thing anyone or anything can be called Nazi, or call itself Nazi, with no particular meaning.

[tophat9000]

https://thegrayzone.com/2022/03/04/nazis-ukrainian-war-russia/

https://www.newsweek.com/evidence-war-crimes-committed-ukrainian-nationalist-volunteers-grows-269604

https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/03/01/greek-in-mariupol-fascist-ukrainian/

https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/03/04/pbs-hosts-neo-nazi-ukraine-mayor-blurs-image-of-hitler-accomplice-behind-him/

https://i.ibb.co/HgSRW4D/BBWmx-BCg1xr-P.jpg

https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_14th_HRMMU_Report.pdf

https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_13th_HRMMU_Report_3March2016.pdf

[Jane Long]

Here....is a Charlie Kirk link, to same interview.....does that pass your ‘fact check’ test?

https://rumble.com/vxm2ut-lara-logan-hands-out-red-pills-to-morning-viewers.html

And, just to continue assisting you, with Lara’s truth bombs....here’s a link to another interview she recently did on the Cowboy Logic program (w/former Fox host, Donna Fiducia and her hubby....an informative program, where they actually allow their great guests to talk, uninterrupted....

https://rumble.com/vxwdob-lara-logan-torches-the-ukraine-narrative-.html

[buwaya]

“American political labels do not apply outside our borders.”

This is very true. American political arguments do not translate. Outside the US nobody has much of a clue about why Americans hate each other so intensely. And, I think, Americans in general do not switch context very well either. Human parochialism makes for weird ideas.

[MAGAthon]

what was commonly known:

10 Sept 2014: Newsweek: Ukrainian Nationalist Volunteers Committing ‘ISIS-Style’ War Crimes
BY DAMIEN SHARKOV
There are over 30 pro-nationalist, volunteer battalions similar to Aidar, such as Ukraina, DND Metinvest and Kiev 1, all funded by private investors.

The Aidar battalion is publicly backed by Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, who also allegedly funds the Azov, Donbas, Dnepr 1, Dnepr 2 volunteer battalions, operating under orders from Kiev. Last spring Kolomoyskyi offered a bounty of $10,000 of his own money for each captured Russian “saboteur”.

A warrant for Kolomoyskyi’s arrest was issued in Russia in July for “organising the killing of civilians,” through his sponsorship of volunteer militants...

Meanwhile Norwegian channel TV2 presented footage yesterday of the Azov battalion flying flags with the symbols of Ukraine’s neo-Nazi party - Patriot of Ukraine.
This is the first instance of government-backed volunteers displaying far-right tendencies. However, numerous powerful paramilitary groups are reportedly involved in the Ukrainian conflict such as Patriot of Ukraine, Right Sector and White Hammer...

Correction: This article originally mistakenly stated Ihor Kolomoyskyi offered a bounty for each killed ‘saboteur’, when it was in fact for each captured ‘saboteur’. This has been corrected and Newsweek apologises for the error.
https://www.newsweek.com/evidence-war-crimes-committed-ukrainian-nationalist-volunteers-grows-269604

nowadays Kolomoyskyi - who created Azov et al plus “President” Zelensky - is barely mentioned.

Wikipedia: Ihor Kolomoyskyi
As of 2019, Kolomoyski owned 70% of the 1+1 Media Group whose TV channel 1+1 aired “Servant of the People”, the comedy series in which Volodymyr Zelensky played the role of president of Ukraine. On 31 March 2019 Zelensky won the most votes in the first round of Ukraine’s real presidential elections...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ihor_Kolomoyskyi

[Jane Long]

More Lara Logan links for you...they’re FR links, so...not sure if you’ll find them acceptable.....

Logan Gives Honest Assessment of Ukraine/U.S.(Ukraine money laundering center for US tax dollars-BLM/Antifa,Soros,Romney,Pelosi,Biden,MCain, BLM/Antifa/ColorRevolutions)

THC ^ | 3/20/22 | Sundance
Posted on 3/20/2022, 3:57:37 PM by Be Careful

In this short interview segment, Lara Logan outlines her brutally honest perspective on why Ukraine is ultimately so important to people in power within the DC system.

(Excerpt) Read more at theconservativetreehouse.com ...

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4048343/posts

Lara Logan on Dr. Fauci: “He Doesn’t Represent Science - He Represents Mengele
Gateway Pundit via Rumble ^ | 11/29/21
Posted on 11/30/2021, 11:38:28 AM by Enlightened1

He Doesn’t Represent Science to Me, He Represents Mengele, Dr. Joseph Mengele, the Nazi Doctor” - Lara Logan on Megalomaniac Tony Fauci

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4016977/posts

Dr. Fauci demands Fox punish Lara Logan for comparing him to Nazi ‘Angel of Death’
Republic Brief ^ | 12/03/2021 | Ryan Kelly
Posted on 12/4/2021, 12:05:17 AM by SeekAndFind

Dr. Anthony Fauci criticized Fox Nation host Lara Logan Thursday for her comments comparing him to an infamous Nazi war criminal earlier this week, calling the conservative journalist’s comparison ‘slanderous’ and ‘disgusting.’

Speaking to MSNBC host Chris Haye Thursday night, Fauci called on Fox to take disciplinary action against the journalist – who faced backlash Monday after she compared the chief White House medical adviser to Josef Mengele, a Nazi doctor whose hideous experiments on Jewish concentration camp victims during World War II earned him the chilling moniker ‘Angel of Death.’

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4018171/posts

You can read more, about Lara, with a FR search, here....

https://freerepublic.com/tag/laralogan/index?tab=articles