amnesty international azov

Josh Cohen is a former USAID project officer involved in managing economic reform projects in the former Soviet Union. A Ukrainian soldier is pictured in an armored vehicle on. It is not irregular division neither a political group. [208], Similarly, Michael Colborne wrote that it "would be a mistake to claimthat the Azov regiment is somehow not a part of the broader Azov movement" and points to repeated description of the regiment as the "military wing" of the Azov movement by Olena Semenyaka, the main international representative of the movement. The Ukrainian government also opted to deploy only volunteer units to the Donbas front,[citation needed] pledging that conscripts would not be sent into combat. Azov is a far-right all-volunteer infantry military unit whose members estimated at 900 are ultra-nationalists and accused of harbouring neo-Nazi and white supremacist ideology. [300] This narrative has been a part of Russian propaganda since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, according to Russia scholar Izabella Tabarovsky of the Wilson Center, who said "there has been an intensive campaign of demonization, a certain resonance for Putins core supporters in Russia" because "there is a national historical memory formed around World War II and the victory over Nazis. [129] He stated that the regiment could not be 100% sure all civilians had been evacuated due to lack of equipment and the fact they had not been assisted by specialist organisations. [307], During the War in Donbas, the unit was represented as similar in composition to the unit in the 20142015 timeframe, despite international observers in Donbas and other people saying otherwise. Theres also a bevy of loosely affiliated but more extreme subgroups under its umbrella as well, including open neo-Nazis who praise and promote violence". For the time being, we are making a narrow exception for praise of the Azov regiment strictly in the context of defending Ukraine, or in their role as part of the Ukraine national guard, a spokesperson from Facebooks parent company, Meta, told Business Insider. [310], Azov has also featured in Chinese social media and news outlets in a similar fashion to Russian media. [215][29] The party's first leader was Andriy Biletsky. [102][103] The regiment, on the other hand, was noted for its ability to self-promote, producing high quality videos of its drone strikes and other military activities; The Daily Telegraph called it a "well-oiled publicity machine". [174] The unit included 900 volunteers as of March2015[update]. In December 2014, Amnesty International accused the Dnipro-1 battalion of potential war crimes, including "using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare." Six months later, Senator John. Amnesty has asked for Kiev to clarify the legal status and affiliation of its volunteer battalions and fully integrate them into "clear chains of command", making all of its servicemen aware of international law and implementing "effective investigations" into abuses of human rights. [280][281][282] This followed the announcement from Kadyrov of their deployment in Ukraine and displays of their combat readiness. [282], The founder of the battalion, Andriy Biletsky, said in 2010 that the Ukrainian nation's mission is to "lead the white races of the world in a final crusade against Semite-led Untermenschen". Now it's battling Russia on the front lines", "Ukrainian fighters grease bullets against Chechens with pig fat", "Kremlin Links Buffalo Suspect to Ukraine, Except He Had Pro-Russia Views", "U.S. House Passes 3 Amendments By Rep. Conyers To Defense Spending Bill To Protect Civilians From Dangers Of Arming and Training Foreign Forces", "Congress Has Removed a Ban on Funding Neo-Nazis From Its Year-End Spending Bill", "Congress bans arms to Ukraine militia linked to neo-Nazis", "House Democrats Just Demanded These Neo-Nazi Groups Be Prosecuted as International Terrorists", "Neo-Nazis Not Top of Mind for Senate Democrats Pushing Weapons for Ukraine", "Mounting evidence Canada trained Ukrainian extremists, gov't needs to be held to account: Experts", "Rights Groups Demand Israel Stop Arming neo-Nazis in Ukraine", "Israeli weapon seen used by Neo-Nazi Ukrainian unit against Russia", "Ethnic Greek Azov Fighter Overshadows Zelensky Speech at Greek Parliament", "L'Ukraine acquise l'idologie nonazie? In 2021, a report from George Washington University discovered that extremists from this group were bragging about being trained by Canadian forces. Amnesty International has accused Ukraine of violating international war laws and endangering civilians during its war with Russia. We will hold them to this promise, said Salil Shetty. This was during Operation UNIFIER, a $890 million project to train the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Azov-Kyiv territorial defense unit had been in the Kyiv area, according to Maksym Zhorin. The director of Amnesty International's Ukraine office resigned on Friday to protest a lengthy statement by the wider organization that accuses Ukrainian soldiers of employing . [168], The brigade's first commander and founder was Andriy Biletsky. [127] These protests accused the Ukrainian government and the international community of failing to do enough to assist wounded soldiers currently in the Azovstal steelworks. [218] Many members of the Youth Corps, beginning in 2015, organized summer camps where children and teenagers receive combat training mixed with lectures on Ukrainian nationalism. [83] By 12 February 2015 the separatists launched an all-out counter-offensive which resulted in heavy losses for Azov. They noted that most of the relatives have no idea what is going on with the captured fighters, and there is no evidence of activity by the Red Cross. ", " , " ", "Russia frees 215 Ukrainians held after Mariupol battle, Ukraine says", "Members of National Guard of Ukraine, police officers, border guards, security serviceman exchanged for Medvedchuk", "Moscow's Azov-Medvedchuk Swap Inflames Russian Hardliners", "Azov Battalion drops neo-Nazi symbol exploited by Russian propagandists", "Azov becomes Separate Assault Brigade with Army's Ground Forces", "Special operations forces of Azov regiment become separate assault brigade of Ground Forces and fight in Bakhmut", "Ukraine's volunteer 'Kraken' unit takes the fight to the Russians", " "", "Ukrainian military defeat tank regiment of Russian troops, eliminate commander Zakharov in Brovarsky district Defense Intelligence", "Euromaidan SOS: Honest Answers to the Most Common Questions about AZOV in the West", Andriy Biletsky: Avakov man system, but the system I think is negative, The former leader of "Azov" Beletsky declared only salary and $ 5,000, "Ukraine conflict: 'White power' warrior from Sweden", Ukraine's women sign up to fight as top politician claims number of children killed is 'ten times higher than official toll', "Volunteer Ukrainian unit includes Nazis", "Dangerous war heroes on Ukraine's political scene", " "". [105] On 11 April 2022, the regiment accused Russian forces of using a poisonous substance of unknown origin in Mariupol. "[293], During the early days of the war in Donbas, mostly in 20152017, Azov was featured in various fabricated videos by Russia and Russia-linked groups. . [17][8] Others argue that the regiment has evolved beyond its origins as street militia, tempering its neo-Nazi and far-right underpinnings as it became part of the National Guard. [105], In March, France 24 described the Azov Regiment as "at the heart of the propaganda war" between Russia and Ukraine. [222] On 29 January 2018, members of the National Militia stormed a municipal council meeting in Cherkasy, and refused to let officials leave the building until they had approved the city's long-delayed budget. [211], In 2022, there have been continued reports of Biletsky interacting with the regiment, including his own claims that he is in daily contact with the current leader of Lt. Col Prokopenko and other Azov soldiers during the Siege of Mariupol. Amnesty International also has documented summary killings of captives by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, the organization said Tuesday, warning that the Mariupol fighters "must . Canadian officers and diplomats were photographed with battalion officials which was subsequently used as propaganda by Azov. Though Avakov controls the Ukraines police and National Guard, Poroshenko still commands Ukraines security and intelligence services, the SBU, and could instruct the agency to cut its ties with C14 and other extremist groups. [11][12], The unit has drawn controversy over its early and allegedly continuing association with far-right groups and neo-Nazi ideology,[13] its use of controversial symbols linked to Nazism, and early allegations that members of the unit participated in torture and war crimes. [39] Because of this, many civilians created militias and paramilitary groups, known as "volunteer battalions", to fight the separatists on their own initiative. Avakovs Peoples Party status as the main partner in Ukraines parliamentary coalition increases Avakovs leverage over Poroshenkos Bloc. The then Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov claimed that "The shameful information campaign about the alleged spread of Nazi ideology (among Azov members) is a deliberate attempt to discredit the 'Azov' unit and the National Guard of Ukraine. Individual members have professed to being neo-Nazis, and hardcore far-right ultra-nationalism is pervasive among members. [295], There is mounting evidence that Canada helped train members of Centuria (a far-right group of military officers, tied to Azov movement and regiment). Poroshenko has endured frequent verbal threats, including calls for revolution, from ultranationalist groups, so he may believe that he needs Avakov to keep them in check. In this briefing Amnesty International is calling on the Ukrainian authorities to bring Aidar and other volunteer battalions under effective lines of command and control, promptly investigate all allegations of abuses, and hold those responsible to account. Rava fought in the Azov Regiment after the 2014 Revolution of Dignity and took up arms again on 24.02.22 Piano competitions in Dublin and Calgary have refused to accept Russian competitors. Despite his weak position, Poroshenko still has some options for reducing the threat from the far right. For example, to put pressure on President Zelensky and prevent him from reaching compromises with Russia, Azov veterans marched into Kiev reaching his office and clashing with the police. [279], In March 2015, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced that the Azov Regiment would be among the first units to be trained by United States Army troops in the Operation Fearless Guardian training mission. The Azov TDF units proved themselves to be particularly effective in combat, and thus they were turned into regiments and reassigned as part of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine (SSO), where they received special training and equipment. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov justified the Mariupol hospital airstrike claiming the Azov was using the hospital as a base and had previously evicted the patients and staff. [134] On 16 May, the Ukrainian General Staff announced that the Mariupol garrison, including remnants of the Azov regiment stationed in Mariupol, had "fulfilled its combat mission" and that evacuations from the Azovstal steel factory had begun. This coalition won a combined 2.15% of the nationwide electoral list vote but ultimately failed to win any seat in the Verkhovna Rada. For example, former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said "to dehumanise and denigrate Russia, the crazed beasts of the nationalist and territorial defense battalions are ready to kill Ukrainian civilians; all because the very essence of Ukrainianness, fed by anti-Russian venom and lies about its identity, is one big sham. The group was placed under Facebooks Tier 1 designation, which includes groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and ISIL (ISIS). [37][38] The Black Corps retaliated with automatic weapons, and the situation escalated into a firefight between the two groups,[33][38] leading to two dead on the pro-Russian side. [142], Amnesty International USA issued a statement saying that "Ukraines soldiers deployed in Mariupol area have been dehumanized by Russian media and portrayed in Putins propaganda as neo-Nazis throughout Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The village of Shyrokyne was almost completely destroyed as a result. Kacper Rkawek, a research fellow with the Center for Research on Extremism at the University of Oslo, told CNN that, "People always assume it [the Azov regiment and Azov movement] is one Death Star. Vyacheslav Likhachev, an analyst at the ZMINA Center for Human Rights in Kyiv, stated that during the war, Azov operates in the same way as other regiments, but with better PR. A Ukrainian official told Buzzfeed News that for anyone to join the regiment, official channels had to be used. For example, the uniform carries the neo-Nazi Wolfsangel symbol, which resembles a black swastika on a yellow background. Both entities have admitted to being part of the wider "Azov Movement" led by Biletsky, who worked directly with Arsen Avakov (Minister of the Interior until July 2021) on matters relating to the regiment. The Azov Assault Brigade (Ukrainian: , romanized:Shturmova bryhada "Azov") is a formation of the National Guard of Ukraine formerly based in Mariupol, in the coastal region of the Sea of Azov, from which it derives its name. "[206] Anton Shekhovtsov, an expert on Russia's connections to Europe's far-right, told the Financial Times that though it was originally formed by leadership of a neo-nazi group, "It is certain that Azov [the battalion] has depoliticised itself. [9], On 14 October 2014, Azov servicemen took part in a march to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in Kyiv organized by the Right Sector[72] and on 31 October 2014, deputy commander of the Azov Battalion Vadym Troyan was appointed head of Kyiv Oblast police (this police force has no jurisdiction over the city of Kyiv).[73]. [308], In justifying the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the narrative oriented around Ukrainian neo-Nazism continued, and the Azov Regiment has similarly played a central role under the pretext of "denazifying" Ukraine, with Russian media claiming its overwhelming presence and influence within Ukraine to paint a picture of the whole of the Ukrainian government and military as under Nazi control. They criticised the Ukrainian government for negotiating with Russia, as well as countries who refused to supply Azov with weapons in previous years. The document, "Ukraine: Abuses and war crimes by the. 5 August 2022 The human rights organization Amnesty International released a report Thursday showing that "Ukrainian forces have put civilians in harm's way by establishing bases and operating. [147], On 7 June 2022, Human Rights Watch and Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group separately announced that Ukrainian refugees, as well as civilians forcibly deported to Russia, were being pressured and intimidated to implicate Ukrainian military personnel in war crimes, including implicating Azov in the Mariupol theatre airstrike. Amnesty has asked for Kiev to clarify the legal status and affiliation of its volunteer battalions and fully integrate them into "clear chains of command", making all of its servicemen aware of. [44] Among other early patrons of the battalion were Oleh Lyashko, a member of the Verkhovna Rada, ultra-nationalist Dmytro Korchynsky, businessman Serhiy Taruta, and Avakov. [291][259][262] Ultimately the regiment was not placed into the foreign terrorist organisation list. Ukraine has reacted furiously to an Amnesty International report that accuses it of riding roughshod with civilians in the country's fight against Russia. [97] In 2017, the size of the regiment was estimated at more than 2,500 members. Amnesty's report, however, indicates Kiev's loose regulation on volunteer groups and its "members act with virtually no oversight or control". This characterization raises serious concerns over their fate . [125], In early May 2022 protests took place in Kyiv, organised by the families of Azov troops, Ukrainian marines and other soldiers. In an ideal world, President Petro Poroshenko would purge the police and the interior ministry of far-right sympathizers, including Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, who has close ties to Azov leaderAndriy Biletsky,as well as Sergei Korotkykh, an Azov veteran who is now a high-rankingpolice official. Which language would you like to use this site in? Amnesty International apologises for "distress and anger" caused by its report criticising Ukrainian troops for their presence in residential areas a report the human rights group's local . [230], In 2016, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch received several credible allegations of abuse and torture by the regiment. It was formally incorporated into the National Guard on 11 November 2014,[9][10] and redesignated Special Operations Detachment "Azov" (Ukrainian: , romanized:Okremyi zahin spetsialnoho pryznachennia "Azov"), also known as the Azov Regiment (Ukrainian: , romanized:Polk "Azov"). People come from all over the world driven by outrage against Putin, and not because of a particular ideology. [290], In October 2019, members of the US House of Representatives from the Democratic Party requested that the Azov Regiment and two other far-right groups be classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department, citing recent acts of right-wing violence such as the Christchurch mosque shootings earlier that year. Amnesty International has said the Ukrainian army is endangering the life of civilians by basing themselves in residential areas, in a report rejected by Ukrainian government representatives as. The unit was led by Andriy Biletsky, who served as the the leader of both the Patriot of Ukraine (founded in 2005) and the SNA (founded in 2008). [181], The commander of the second battalion of the Azov Special Operation Forces, Kyiv regiment is Dmytro Kukharchuk.[182]. On Monday, Ukraines national guard tweeted a video showing Azov fighterscoating their bullets in pig fat to be used allegedly against Muslim Chechens allies of Russia deployed in their country. [14][15][16] Some experts have been critical of the regiment's role within the larger Azov Movement, a political umbrella group made up of veterans and organizations linked to Azov, and its possible far-right political ambitions, despite claims of the regiment's depoliticization. "[277], In April 2022, Israeli historian and Nazi hunter Efraim Zuroff dismissed the claims that allegations made against the Azov regiment are part of a Russian disinformation. Though only about 50 Russian nationals were members of the Azov regiment in April 2015,[191] the regiment still included foreign fighters in August 2015, for example an ex-British army serviceman Chris Garrett and a 33-year-old former soldier of the Greek army and French Foreign Legion known by the nom-de-guerre of "The Greek". [199][200], In 2019, support for the Azov Movement and associated organizations was temporarily not allowed under Facebook's Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy. Brutal attacks this month on International Womens Day marches in several Ukrainian cities prompted an unusually forceful statement from Amnesty International, which warned that "the Ukrainian state is rapidly losing its monopoly on violence.. He left Azov as elected officials cannot be in the military or police force. Ukrainian veterans of the Azov volunteer battalion attend a rally in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 14, 2020. According to the letter, Nazism, as well Stalinism, were "despised" by the regiment, since Ukraine greatly suffered from both. [267][268][269][270][271], In February 2020, the Atlantic Council published an article by Anton Shekhovtsov, a scholar of right-wing extremism in Europe and expert on Russia's connections to Europe's far-right. [164][bettersourceneeded] In addition, Azov veterans and National Corps members Konstantin Nemichev and Serhiy Velychko formed the Kraken Regiment, a volunteer unit active in Kharkiv which is not part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but a spetsnaz unit of the Main Directorate of Intelligence. Its history linked to the far-right movement is pretty irrelevant today. He remained an MP until 2019. Human rights watchdog Amnesty International issued a statement Friday called for an investigation into the video footage. [92][93] The primary base of the regiment became a seaside villa in Urzuf, a village in Donetsk Oblast. [90][91], In August 2015, the Ukrainian government pulled all volunteer battalions, including Azov, off the front lines around Mariupol, replacing them with regular military units. Last April, Representative Elissa Slotkin repeated the request which included other white supremacist groups to the Biden administration. [58][59], In the Battle of Novoazovsk from 25 to 28 August 2014 the Azov Battalion and Ukrainian forces did not fare much better, as they were pushed back by superior firepower of the tanks and armored vehicles of the separatists and Russians. The action was started by the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People in 20 September as a massive traffic obstruction of transport traffic going into Russian Crimea to protest the Russian annexation of Crimea. [130] A Azovstal factory worker who had stayed in a bunker under the factory for two months before her evacuation told Deutsche Welle that, contrary to Russian media reports, they were not forced by soldiers in Azovstal to stay against their will, however, it became increasingly unsafe to leave due to constant bombardment. hronika.info", "Ukraine conflict: Battles rage ahead of Minsk talks", "Azov Battalion spearheads Ukrainian counter-offensive Feb. 10, 2015", "Heavy fighting underway near Shyrokyne and Sakhanka: enemy's infantry liquidated, attack died out Azov regiment", "Militants attack village of Shyrokyne near Mariupol", "Fears for Ukraine's ceasefire as clashes with Russia-backed rebels intensify", "Deaths shake Ukraine truce; Poroshenko wary of Russian threat", "Mariupol, next in the sights of pro-Russia rebels in eastern Ukraine", "Pullout from Shyrokyne angers soldiers, stokes fear in Mariupol", "Locals install tents in Mariupol protesting demilitarization of Shyrokine", "Putin's War: Regular and Volunteer Ukrainian Troops Vie in Mariupol", " "".

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