Human rights violations and war crimes
Reports published by the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have connected the Azov Battalion to
war crimes such as mass looting, unlawful detention, and torture.
[79][80] An OHCHR report from March 2016 stated that the organisation had "collected detailed information about the conduct of hostilities by Ukrainian armed forces and the Azov regiment in and around Shyrokyne (31km east of Mariupol), from the summer of 2014 to date. Mass looting of civilian homes was documented, as well as targeting of civilian areas between September 2014 and February 2015."
[79]
Another OHCHR report documented an instance of rape and torture, writing: "A man with a mental disability was subject to cruel treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence by 8 to 10 members of the 'Azov' and 'Donbas' (another Ukrainian battalion) battalions in August–September 2014. The victim's health subsequently deteriorated and he was hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital."
[80] A report from January 2015 stated that a Donetsk Republic supporter was detained and tortured with electricity and waterboarding, which resulted in his confessing spying for pro-Russian militants.
[80]
Ideology
Neo-Nazism
Emblem featuring a
Wolfsangel and
Black Sun, two symbols associated with Nazism
The Azov Battalion has been described as a
far-right militia
[33] with connections to
neo-Nazism, with members wearing neo-Nazi and
SS symbols and regalia and expressing neo-Nazi views.
[81][82] The group's insignia features the
Wolfsangel[52][83][82][84][85] and the
Black Sun,
[83][86][87] two neo-Nazi symbols.
Azov soldiers have been observed wearing Nazi-associated symbols on their uniforms.
[88] In 2014, the German
ZDF television network showed images of Azov fighters wearing helmets with swastika symbols and "the
SS runes of Hitler's infamous black-uniformed elite corps".
[89] In 2015, Marcin Ogdowski, a Polish war correspondent, gained access to one of Azov's bases located in the former holiday resort
Majak; Azov fighters showed to him Nazi tattoos as well as Nazi emblems on their uniforms.
[90]
Shaun Walker writes in
The Guardian that "many of [Azov's] members have links with neo-Nazi groups, and even those who laughed off the idea that they are neo-Nazis did not give the most convincing denials", citing swastika tattoos among the fighters and one who claimed to be a "
national socialist".
[82] According to
The Daily Beast, some of the group's members are "neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and avowed anti-Semites",
[56] and "numerous swastika tattoos of different members and their tendency to go into battle with swastikas or SS insignias drawn on their helmets make it very difficult for other members of the group to plausibly deny any neo-Nazi affiliations."
[91]
Lev Golinkin writes in
The Nation that "Post-Maidan Ukraine is the world's only nation to have a neo-Nazi formation in its armed forces."
[92] Michael Colborne of
Foreign Policy has called it "a dangerous neo-Nazi-friendly extremist movement" with "global ambitions", citing similarities between the group's ideology and symbolism and that of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooter, along with efforts by the group to recruit American right-wing extremists.
[57]
A spokesman for the unit has said "only 10–20%" of its recruits are neo-Nazis, with one commander attributing neo-Nazi ideology to misguided youth.
[16] Members of the unit have stated that the inverted
Wolfsangel, rather than connected to Nazism, represents the Ukrainian words for "united nation"
[82][46] or "national idea" (
Ukrainian:
Ідеја
Nації, Ideya Natsii).
[82][85][a]
British political scientist
Richard Sakwa writes that Azov's founding member Andryi Biletsky, leader of the neo-Nazi
Social-National Assembly (SNA) made statements about a "historic mission" to lead the "white races of the world in a final crusade for their survival ... a crusade against the Semite-led
Untermenschen", an ideology he traces to the
National Integralism of 1920s and 1930s.
[93] Political scientist Ivan Katchanovski has compared the group's ideology to that of
Patriot of Ukraine, saying: "The SNA/PU [Patriot of Ukraine] advocates a neo-Nazi ideology along with ultranationalism and racism. The same applies to ... members of the Azov battalion and many football ultras and others who serve in this formation."
[94]
In June 2015, the Canadian defence minister declared that Canadian forces would not provide training or support to Azov Battalion.
[95] In 2018, the
U.S. House of Representatives also passed a provision blocking any training of Azov members by American forces, citing its neo-Nazi connections. The House had previously passed amendments banning support of Azov between 2014 and 2017, but due to pressure from
The Pentagon, the amendments were quietly lifted.
[3][96][97] This was protested by the
Simon Wiesenthal Center which stated that lifting the ban highlighted the danger of
Holocaust distortion in Ukraine.
[97]
Relation towards antisemitism
More than 40 Israeli human rights activists signed the petition to stop arms sales to Ukraine arguing that Israel is selling military-style Tavor and Negev automatic weapons to the Ukrainian government knowing that some of these arms end up in the hands of right-wing, Azov militia.
[98]
Despite accusations that the group is
antisemitic, some members of the Jewish community in Ukraine support and serve in the Azov Battalion. One of its most prominent members is Nathan Khazin, leader of the "Jewish hundreds" during the 2013
Euromaidan protests in Kyiv.
[99] In an interview, Andriy Biletsky explained that he regards
Israel and
Japan as role models for the development of Ukraine.
[100]
Azov movement
Azov Civil Corps
In spring of 2015, veterans of the Azov volunteer battalion created the core of a non-military non-governmental organization Azov Civil Corps (
Tsyvilnyi Korpus "Azov"), for the purpose of "political and social struggle",
[101][22] associated with the
National Corps political party. In 2016, members of Civil Corps Azov founded a
social center "Cossack House" in Kyiv.[
citation needed]
National Corps political party
Main article:
National Corps
In September 2016, founder and former commander of the Azov Battalion
Andriy Biletsky said that he would be leading a new political party.
[25] In early October 2016, Biletsky stated that the new party would use neither names nor symbols of the Azov Battalion.
[102] On 14 October 2016, this political party called National Corps (
Natsionalnyi Korpus) held its first congress.
[22][103] There delegates elected Biletsky to head the party for the next four years.
[22] National Corps is based on the national social organization "Patriot of Ukraine" (
Patriot Ukrainy, before 2015 named "Civic Movement Honest Business",
Chesni Spravy),
[104][22] which was already registered by the
Ministry of Justice.
[22]
The party advocates expanding the powers of the
President of Ukraine by granting him authority to be the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine as well as the
head of government.
[22] National Corps favors restoring
Ukraine's nuclear power status and nationalizing enterprises which were government owned when
Ukraine became independent in 1991.
[22] The party wants Ukraine to break all
ties with Russia (diplomatic, trade and culture ties).
[22] It is against
Ukraine joining the
European Union and against
Ukraine joining NATO.
[23] It wants to create the "
Intermarium Union" with Baltic and Black Sea nations to include, among others, Ukraine,
Belarus,
Poland,
Lithuania,
Latvia,
Estonia,
Czech Republic, and
Slovakia.
[22][23] The party advocates expanding the
right to bear arms and initiate public discussion about restoring
capital punishment in Ukraine for treason and the
embezzlement of government funds by officials in excessive amounts.
[22]
National Militia
In 2017, a paramilitary group called the National Militia (
Natsionalni Druzhyny), closely linked to the Azov movement, was formed. Its stated aim is to assist law enforcement agencies, which is allowed under Ukrainian law, and it has conducted street patrols.
[105][106] In March 2019, its membership was reportedly "in the low thousands".
[107]