The United States State Department’s decision to allow weapons deliveries to Ukraine’s Azov Brigade, a unit with known ties to ultranationalist and neo-Nazi ideology, has sparked controversy and raised concerns among human rights advocates. Previously, the flow of arms was restricted due to the unit’s connections to hateful ideology; however, recent statements from the State Department suggest that thorough review has deemed the Azov Brigade compliant with Leahy vetting legislation, which prohibits military aid to units implicated in human rights violations.
The Ukrainian government treated the lifting of this ban as a “top priority” during their lobbying efforts. The Azov Brigade was established as a volunteer battalion in 2014 and participated in the war with the breakaway republics of Donbass, which chose to secede from Ukraine following a Western-backed coup in Kiev. The core fighters within the unit were active or former members of ultranationalist and neo-Nazi groups, as well as far-right football hooligans.
The unit’s co-founder, Andrey Biletsky, was a member of a white supremacist organization in the 2000s. He has since moderated his views and denied any ties to neo-Nazism. Nonetheless, many Azov fighters continue to display Nazi tattoos and symbols associated with the Third Reich. The brigade continues to use banners featuring the Wolfsangel symbol, which was employed by various German divisions during World War II, including the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich.
Incorporated into Ukraine’s National Guard in 2015, the Azov Brigade has experienced significant growth over the years. In 2018, the US Congress prohibited the delivery of arms to the brigade due to its connections with neo-Nazi ideology. At that time, Representative Ro Khanna of California stated, “white supremacy and neo-Nazism are unacceptable and have no place in our world.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which fights against anti-Semitism and monitors hate groups, described the unit as a “Ukrainian extremist group” with ties to the US-based neo-Nazi organization Atomwaffen and similar white supremacist movements in Europe. However, the ADL has since altered its stance on the Azov Brigade, stating in an email to The Grayzone news outlet in late 2022 that it no longer considers the unit to be the “far-right group it once was.
During the siege of Mariupol in 2022, many Azov fighters surrendered to Russian forces. Moscow has accused the members of the brigade of committing war crimes, including acts of torture and civilian executions.