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I don't know about the election illegitimacy claims and I doubt the bioweapons claims are anything but propaganda, but the Azov Battalion and other groups like

I don't know about the election illegitimacy claims and I doubt the bioweapons claims are anything but propaganda, but the Azov Battalion and other groups like the Aidar Battalion definitely have neo-nazi leadership and likely have intent to ethnically cleanse the east of Russians. Andriy Biletsky, one of the founding members of the Azov Battalion described his political mission to "be the leader of the white races against a world of jew lead subhumans". They openly use Nazi symbolism, distribute neo-nazi propaganda magazines, and provide terrorist training to foreign neo-nazi groups. The Ukrainian government's response to this was to legitimize them, give them arms production plants, incorporate them into the military and even give them policing permits. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/13/ukraine-far-right-national-militia-takes-law-into-own-hands-neo-nazi-links https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/13/ukraine-far-ri... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28329329 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28329329 https://www.timesofisrael.com/brazilian-neo-nazis-recruited-to-fight-ukrainian-civil-war/ https://www.timesofisrael.com/brazilian-neo-nazis-recruited-... https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/ https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-rig... https://www.vice.com/en/article/3ab7dw/azov-battalion-ukraine-far-right https://www.vice.com/en/article/3ab7dw/azov-battalion-ukrain... https://web.archive.org/web/20150709162323/http://ngu.gov.ua/ua/news/rozyasnennya-shchodo-statusu-specpidrozdilu-azov https://web.archive.org/web/20150709162323/http://ngu.gov.ua... They claim the group has 'depoliticized', although the neo-nazi leadership, distribution of neo-nazi propaganda, use of nazi symbolism and ethic hate related crimes have not ceased.

p_l 5y ago
Azov is big in propaganda due to being one of the first in the door among volunteer militia, and being... well, Azov. It's telling however that the closest thing to a parent organisation pretty much lost all political gains it made since Euromaidan (they now have 1 single-vote region in last election, an election won by ethnically russian jew who speaks russian with family) and even just after Euromaidan they were rebuffed in various escapades even by government, despite the desperation of early war.

p_l 5y ago

Azov is big in propaganda due to being one of the first in the door among volunteer militia, and being... well, Azov. It's telling however that the closest thing to a parent organisation pretty much lost all political gains it made since Euromaidan (they now have 1 single-vote region in last election, an election won by ethnically russian jew who speaks russian with family) and even just after Euromaidan they were rebuffed in various escapades even by government, despite the desperation of early war.