Ukraine Azov battalion denies neo-Nazi association
Ukraine's Azov battalion has been the main force defending the city of Mariupol. The group has a reputation for fighting fiercely, but it has also said to hold far-right views. In 2016 the United Nations accused it of violating international humanitarian law. In 2019, 40 US congress members unsuccessfully tried to designate the Azov as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. Russian President Vladimir Putin referenced the presence of such units within the Ukrainian military as one of the reasons for launching his so-called “special military operation – to de-militarise and de-Nazify Ukraine”. The unit has denied it adheres to Nazi ideology as a whole, but Nazi symbols such as the swastika and SS regalia are rife on the uniforms and bodies of Azov members. The Azov battalion understands it has a neo-nazi image problem but to change it will require support from the rank and file, many of whom are suspected of having far-right links. Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan reports from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. – Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe – Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish – Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera – Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/ #UkraineWar #AzovBattalion #A3OB
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