organization:azov battalion

Azov fighters give military training to children, foster patriotism at Kyiv summer camp
▻http://www.kyivpost.com/multimedia/photo/azovets-patriotic-camp-for-children-396138.html

The kids are arguing about who gets which wooden gun.

“That’s my gun,” says one young boy loudly. He likes it because it fits nicely into his small hands.

“That’s a new American version of the rifle,” says an older boy, knowledgeably. “I like it better as well.”

Once the argument is settled, the kids run off to play at being soldiers.

It’s a scene that one could see on playgrounds and at summer camps for kids all over the world.

But this particular camp is run by the #Azov_Battalion founded by lawmaker Andriy Biletsky, its former commander. Located in the wooded area of Kyiv’s Pushcha Vodytsya district, kids at this summer camp aren’t just playing soldiers – they’re getting actual military training from soldiers who have fought on the front line in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Named Azovets, the camp has been the subject of negative coverage in the Russian media, pro-Russia websites and even U.K. tabloid The Daily Mail.

“Neo-Nazi summer camp: Ukrainian kids taught to shoot AKs by Azov battalion members”, reads Kremlin-controlled RT’s headline for its story about the camp.

“Shocking pictures from inside neo-Nazi military camp reveal recruits as young as SIX are being taught how to fire weapons (even though there’s a ceasefire),” reads the headline in the Daily Mail’s sensationalized and inaccurate article.

The Azovets summer camp accepts children of Azov Battalion members, as well as kids from Kyiv’s nearby Obolon district and further afield. It opened on June 22, runs weeklong programs of activities for groups of 30 to 40 kids. Officially, it is for children aged from nine to 18, but there are kids as young as seven there. A few of the kids had already attended it for several weeks in a row.

What makes the camp most controversial is that it’s run by Azov fighters, some of whom have been labeled as far-right supporters and neo-Nazis. Critics say the battalion’s symbol is an inverted Wolfsangel that has oblique but uncomfortable associations with Nazism.

http://www.kyivpost.com/media/images/2015/08/20/p19t3sciqlvot1freu1rhji14ggg/original_big.JPG

http://www.kyivpost.com/media/images/2015/08/20/p19t3sciql1ird109q16n21goni3ud/original_big.JPG

#patriotic_camp
#Цивільний_Корпус_Азов Corps civil Azov

Ukrainian children and their teachers taught to fire and disassemble AK47s | Daily Mail Online
▻http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3215504/Keeping-class-order-Tiny-children-balaclava-wearing-teachers-taught-fir

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/08/29/19/2BC5B09800000578-0-image-a-22_1440871695644.jpg

Shocking new images show Ukrainian children being taught how to use automatic rifles at a ’summer camp’ in Kiev.

The youngsters were pictured dismantling and aiming the weapons at the retreat run by Ukraine’s National Guard.

The army’s Azov Battalion, a far-right neo-Nazi militia, has been pictured teaching children as young as six to fire weapons although they are not thought to be running this one.

L’écusson de casquette est celui des Forces armées ukrainiennes ; je n’arrive pas à identifier celui de poitrine.

Note : si, réellement, l’arme de l’illustration est chargée, il y a de graves inconscients dans les rangs de l’armée ukrainienne…

How a Swedish Sniper Found Redemption in the Ukraine War
▻http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/10/meet-the-former-neo-nazi-spokesman-who-now-fights-for-freedom-in-ukrain

Skillt, who had served as a sniper in the Swedish National Home Guard, was a member of Sweden’s far right and a spokesman for several neo-Nazi groups. Before the Ukraine war, he was in and out of jail and working a job in construction.

Skillt doesn’t shy away from discussing his neo-Nazi past, but talks about it openly, referring to his earlier beliefs as “misguided” and “idiotic.” He claims his service in the Ukraine war shattered his previously held stereotypes and spurred him to abandon National Socialism.

“I’m not a Nazi, and I don’t believe in National Socialism,” Skillt says. “When I got to Ukraine 17 months ago, I was a real bastard. I had stereotypes against Jews, blacks, Arabs. But I’ve fought with them, and now they are like brothers. Before, some things were black and white. But now I know nothing is certain. Good and bad people come in all colors. The world is very gray.

“You know,” he adds, “the Mikael from 17 months ago would pick a fight with the Mikael from now. But the Mikael from now would win.”

Whether because of battlefield compromises necessary for victory or a genuine change of heart, to stand up the Azov Battalion’s training program Skillt also has worked with governments around the world, including Israel, the U.S., and his native Sweden.

Où l’on reparle de l’(ex-(néo)-)nazi suédois. Qui a trouvé son chemin de Damas quelque part entre Ilovaïsk et Marioupol.

cf. ▻http://seenthis.net/messages/296178

Azov withdrawal: Scheduled rotation of Azov and Aidar battalions continues - fighter, terrorism, Ukraine, ATO, Anti-Terrorist Operation, Azov withdrawal, ATO press center (26.07.15 14:37) « News | EN.Censor.net
▻http://en.censor.net.ua/news/345332/all_ato_forces_units_remain_at_positions_as_scheduled_rotation_of_azov

“The ATO press center is authorized to declare: the information that Azov battalion has left its positions near Shyrokyne and Aidar has left its positions in the Luhansk sector, which was published by some media, does not correspond to reality. This information is spread to discredit the ATO forces and disseminate panic in society. We pay your attention that a planned rotation of the mentioned battalions is in progress,” the report reads.
One of the most combat-ready military units of the Marine Corps will take the Azov’s positions. The Mechanized Brigade of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will take the Aidar’s positions.

“All ATO forces units remain at positions,” the press center stressed.

Scheduled rotation of Azov and Aidar battalions is carried out in order to improve the combat capability of these units. Re-equipment, resupply and combat coordination of the units will be performed.

How Russian Lobbyists Are Manipulating American Perceptions of the Ukraine Conflict | TheBlaze.com
▻http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/how-russian-lobbyists-are-manipulating-american-perceptions-of-the-ukraine

On June 11, the House of Representatives passed Amendment 492 of the Defense Department Appropriations Bill to ban Ukraine from receiving MANPADS anti-aircraft missiles and prevent any U.S. assistance to the Azov Battalion. Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) were the bill’s sponsors.

Et oui, rappeler l’omniprésence des symboles nazis chez les membres du bataillon Azov c’est faire partie des supplétifs de Poutine…

(et d’ailleurs, maintenant, ils se sont faits plus discrets)

Ukraine teen Vita Zaverukha revealed as neo Nazi arrested for killing police
▻http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3073478/Teen-girl-feted-Ukraine-s-Joan-Arc-fighting-against-Russian-rebels-reve

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B589HfbCAAMbsIP.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B589Hf8CEAEYFog.jpg

A neo-Nazi portrayed as Ukraine’s version of Joan of Arc by French fashion magazine Elle for her ’brave’ fight against the Russian separatists has been arrested in connection with the deaths of two policemen.

À l’époque, Elle avait expliqué : « Ben comment vouliez-vous qu’on devine une chose pareille. »
▻http://www.ozap.com/actu/-elle-accuse-de-faire-la-promotion-d-une-combattante-ukrainienne-neonazie/460502

Le communiqué conclut en condamnant « toute idéologie prônant la xénophobie, l’antisémitisme ou l’apologie du nazisme ». « La rédaction de ELLE ainsi que les deux journalistes ayant réalisé le reportage, ont été choqués d’apprendre, à posteriori, le véritable profil idéologique de cette jeune femme, et condamnent bien entendu toute idéologie prônant la xénophobie, l’antisémitisme ou l’apologie du nazisme », rappelle ainsi la rédaction de l’hebdomadaire.

Ultra-nationalist Ukrainian battalion gears up for more fighting - Yahoo News UK
▻https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ultra-nationalist-ukrainian-battalion-gears-more-fighting-100328439.h

The Azov battalion originated from Biletsky’s paramilitary national socialist group called “Patriot of Ukraine”, which propagated slogans of white supremacy, racial purity, the need for authoritarian power and a centralised national economy.
“Patriot of Ukraine” opposed giving up Ukraine’s sovereignty by joining international blocs, called for rolling back of liberal economy and political democracy, including free media.
In 2008, Biletsky urged “thousands of young fanatic apostles” to advance its ideas. Local media have reported on several violent incidents in which the group was involved.
Since Azov was officially created last May, it has been involved in fighting on the outskirts of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, a battle for the town of Illovaysk which Ukrainian forces lost last summer and across the coast of the Sea of Azov.
But, since Azov was enrolled as a regiment of Ukraine’s National Guard in September and started receiving increased supplies of heavy arms, Biletsky has toned down his rhetoric.
Most of “Patriot of Ukraine” websites are now down or under restricted access. He denied Azov’s symbol was a reference to Nazism, saying it was rather a Ukrainian nationalist symbol.

Gabriela Baczynska de Reuters rend une visite aux miliciens du bataillon Azov.

Azov Battalion spearheads Ukrainian counter-offensive
▻http://www.kyivpost.com/content/kyiv-post-plus/azov-battalion-spearheads-ukrainian-counter-offensive-380136.html

Ukraine’s Azov Battalion, famed for its near-suicidal bravery and ultra-nationalist views, is spearheading a Ukrainian counter-offensive along the country’s Black Sea coast today.

Posting a picture of their troops on Feb. 10 outside Pavlopil town hall, some 35 kilometers northeast of their base in the strategic port city of Mariupol, the battalion said that it had also seized the villages of Oktyabyr and Shyrokyne on their way to assault the Russian and separatist-held city of Novoazovsk.

“Ukrainian flags are already flying on government buildings in Pavlopil, Oktyabyr and Shyrokyne,” Azov Battalion press officer Andrii Biletski told the Kyiv Post live from the offensive.

“Our exact position now is secret, but we’re going all the way to Novoazovsk.”

Alors que plus au nord, Debaltseve est encerclée, la milice néo-nazie progresse le long de la Mer Noire et se donne pour objectif d’atteindre la frontière.

Quelqu’un a des infos là-dessus (parce qu’encore une fois, on trouve surtout des articles sur des sites un peu hum-hum) ? US Announces Support of Neo-Nazis – Chris Ernesto
▻http://original.antiwar.com/chris_ernesto/2015/01/28/us-announces-support-of-neo-nazis

Pentagon officials confirmed last week that US troops will deploy to Ukraine in the spring to help build the Ukrainian National Guard. In addition to sending US troops, Washington has already sent heavy military equipment and has earmarked $19 million for Ukrainian forces.

In its announcement, the Pentagon failed to mention that the Ukrainian National Guard includes the Azov Battalion, a pronounced neo-Nazi group that has reportedly been involved in the recent violence in Ukraine.

The Azov Battalion was formed in May 2014 as an all-volunteer paramilitary unit in response to the government’s struggle against separatists in the country’s east.

Funding for Azov comes from Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi, a man who offered a bounty of $10,000 for each captured Russian “saboteur,” as reported by Newsweek.

According to the BBC, Azov’s aims are stated in one of their online publications: “To prepare Ukraine for further expansion and to struggle for the liberation of the entire White Race from the domination of the internationalist speculative capital,” and “to punish severely sexual perversions and any interracial contacts that lead to the extinction of the white man.”

Each side in Ukraine crisis accuses the other of using foreign fighters. But what is the truth ? - The Independent
▻http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/diplomatic-channels-each-side-in-ukraine-crisis-accuses-the-other-of-

Even in the surreal surroundings of the People’s Republic of Donetsk, Beness Aijo stood out – a slight figure in combat fatigues too big, his part-Nigerian heritage making him an incongruous figure among the “army of Slav warriors” proclaiming the re-establishment of Novorossiya.

Où l’on reparle, plutôt bizarrement, de Aijo,…

According to British newspapers Aijo was a member of an elite squad of separatist gunmen: one report spoke of his “links to high-ranking Russian political figures”. The fact that he had once worked at Heathrow airport was used to hint at the security risk such a dangerous character may have posed.

In reality Aijo, a former microbiology student at London University’s Birkbeck College, turned out to be a polite and earnest young man. He knew little of Novorossiya – the dream of a “New Russia” carved out of Ukraine – but was keen to talk about Marxist-Leninism and the ultimate triumph of the proletariat. His decision to attach himself to various campaigns had led to prison spells in Latvia, Holland and Ukraine; he was not a soldier of fortune.

Messy and disorganised conflicts attract adventurers from abroad. Some are harmless idealists like Aijo; some are fantasists; but there are also real fighters and there were certainly plenty of them drifting into Ukraine.

On avait déjà croisé ce harmless idealist, par ailleurs, militant #nazbol par ici, ▻http://seenthis.net/messages/262696

De l’autre côté, équilibre oblige, on a un nazi suédois,…

Private armies, funded by oligarchs, fighting for the Kiev government, have attracted hard-right recruits. The Azov Battalion is particularly popular for foreign volunteers because of its English-language social pages. Mikael Skillt, a 37-year-old former Swedish soldier, joined after his “warrior soul was awakened” by the Maidan protests against Yanukovych’s government.

Skillt, who says he is proud to be a National Socialist, was “fighting for the freedom of the Ukrainian people against Putin’s imperialist front”. His next campaign is going to be in Syria, fighting for the regime. But isn’t Putin the regime’s ally? “Yes, but Assad is standing up to international Zionism and that is of the utmost importance,” was the response.

It remains unclear if and when Skillt will make it to Syria. He was based at a disused summer school in the village Shyrokyne, outside Mariupol, when it came under heavy fire two weeks ago, forcing his unit to retreat, abandoning weapons.

The attack was carried out by an artillery unit manned by Russians to the north-east who were in Ukraine, they said, “on holiday”.

German TV Shows Nazi Symbols on Helmets of #Ukraine Soldiers
▻http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/german-tv-shows-nazi-symbols-helmets-ukraine-soldiers-n198961

http://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_37/656601/140909-ukraine-nazi-02_63a0fd5c7a717bba6d7b7d5b090d91b2.nbcnews-ux-520-200.jpg

The video was shot last week in Ukraine by a camera team from Norwegian broadcaster TV2. “We were filming a report about Ukraine’s AZOV battalion in the eastern city of Urzuf, when we came across these soldiers,” Oysten Bogen, a correspondent for the private television station, told NBC News. Minutes before the images were taped, Bogen said he had asked a spokesperson whether the battalion had fascist tendencies. “The reply was: absolutely not, we are just Ukrainian nationalists,” Bogen said.