{"id":182156,"date":"2022-05-24T13:28:07","date_gmt":"2022-05-24T10:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=182156"},"modified":"2022-05-25T10:50:12","modified_gmt":"2022-05-25T07:50:12","slug":"azov-regiment-the-story-of-discredit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/azov-regiment-the-story-of-discredit","title":{"rendered":"Azov Regiment: The Story of Discredit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a>
Photo from Azovstal by Dmytro Kozatskyi (call sign \u201cOrest\u201d), an Azov Regiment fighter, who spent 84 days at the steelworks<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After Ukraine\u2019s victory in Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the Kalush Orchestra calling on the whole world to help the Ukrainian defenders blocked in Mariupol, Google searches for \u201cAzovstal\u201d and \u201cAzov\u201d increased<\/a> several times. However, from the Wikipedia article in English \u201cneo-Nazi unit of the National Guard\u201d to the articles<\/a> of Christopher Miller, Buzzfeed and RFE\/RL journalist, calling Azov not only than \u201cfar-right force\u201d and \u201cnationalist hate group\u201d, – the information space shifts the focus from Azov\u2019s heroic defense of Mariupol to the narratives beneficial for the Kremlin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more than 80 days, Ukrainian service members have defended the besieged port city of Mariupol and its civilians, blocked on the under Russian bombs, artillery fire, and missiles while the whole world was demanding<\/a> their extraction from the Azovstal steelworks plant. On May 16, the evacuation of Ukrainian defenders agreed with the Ukrainian high command, finally started. 264 soldiers were evacuated<\/a> to hospitals in Russian-occupied Novoazovsk and Olenivka for medical treatment. Now, an exchange procedure needs to be carried out to return them home. And Russian propaganda is incessantly working to denigrate them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Constructing the discourse about \u201cUkraine\u2019s Nazi problem<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For 8 years, Moscow has been consistently trying to legitimize the discourse about \u201cneo-Nazies in Ukraine”, and Ukrainian military, first and foremost, the Azov regiment (as well as many Ukrainian volunteer battalions) became the main target. In 2014, the focus of Russian propaganda was on the Right Sector Battalion, and in 2022 it changed to the Azov. And, truth to be told, the Kremlin had successfully chosen one of the most sensitive subjects for the West – the problems of nazism and white supremacy and did everything to stigmatize the Azov regiment, systemically portraying<\/a> them as a \u201cfar-right\u201d and \u201cextremist\u201d paramilitary group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Created on May 5, 2014, the Azov unit started as a militia of volunteer fighters who united to fight pro-Russian forces backed by Moscow in eastern Ukraine after Russia occupied Crimea. The Azov Regiment became famous after helping Ukraine recapture Mariupol in 2014. From then on, Mariupol became a permanent Azov base. Usually, the propaganda narrative about the \u201cnazi\u201d regiment revolves around the personality of its founder, Andrii Biletsky, known for his far-right ideas, and the logo resembling a “wolfsangel” symbol. However, technically, Biletsky was Azov\u2019s leader for several months only since in September 2014, the Azov Battalion was reorganized, and a regiment was created on its basis. The regiment was then integrated into Ukraine’s National Guard (internal military force). As any military unit, it does not express any ideological principles except for defending its country since Ukrainian legislation prohibits political activity for the military. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biletsky, for his part, chose the exact political way, having created his own \u201cNational corps\u201d political party and tried to use the image of Azov for his reputational benefit in the parliament. However, this still does not make the Azov the \u201cmilitary wing\u201d of any political party, and certainly does not make it \u201cnazi\u201d or \u201cfar-right\u201d as well. During the parliamentary elections in 2019, Biletsky\u2019s party only won 2.16% of the vote<\/a>, and Biletsky lost his seat in parliament, which once again proves the low level of support for far-right parties in Ukraine and makes Russia\u2019s claims about \u201cnazi Ukrainian government\u201deven more absurd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Photo from Azovstal by Dmytro Kozatskyi (call sign \u201cOrest\u201d), an Azov Regiment fighter, who spent 84 days at the steelworks<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Photo<\/a>
Photo from Azovstal by Dmytro Kozatskyi (call sign \u201cOrest\u201d), an Azov Regiment fighter, who spent 84 days at the steelworks<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, in a commentary to CNN in March 2022, the Azov regiment said<\/a> it “appreciates and respects Andriy Biletskiy as the regiment’s founder and first commander, but has nothing to do with his political activities and the National Corps party<\/em>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2014, the regiment\u2019s personnel has completely changed, and now people of Greek, Jew, Crimean, and Russian origin serve in Azov. Ironically, most of them are Russian-speaking, so another Russian accusation about \u201cdiscrimination of Russian-speakers\u201d does not work. Here is how Sviatoslav Palamar (call sign \u201cKalyna\u201d), Azov\u2019s Deputy Commander comments the \u201enazi\u201d accusations in his appeal<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201e\u2026in the ranks of Azov, soldiers are fighting with amputated legs, on prostheses, with four wounds\u2026 They, just like Mariupol, which was shelled by the occupiers but is still alive and full of love for freedom. I ask you not to confuse the concepts of patriotism and Nazism. Patriotism is when you love your mother more than the mother of your neighbor. This is when you love your land more than the one that gives a better harvest. When for you, your people are the best in the world. When you defend your country and don\u2019t attack others. Our military has never invaded Georgia, Chechnya, Transnistria, or Syria. We have never tried to seize foreign lands, but we have to confront the real Nazis of the XXI century. Not just Putin. Admit it-it’s not him shelling hospitals, it\u2019s not him – an artilleryman who destroys homes, burying people alive\u201d. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A \u201cNazi\u201d myth aimed to justify Russian aggression<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All Russian myths about Azov, unfortunately for Ukraine, also unintentionally parrot Kremlin propaganda and help legitimize the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While for Ukraine and the whole civilized world, Azovstal defenders became the symbol of invincibility, for Russia they are a symbol of defeat. Portraying an official part of the National Guard of Ukraine as \u201cnazies”, and even blaming it for the Bucha massacre and blowing up the Mariupol drama theater, Moscow marks all Ukrainian military as \u201cfar-right\u201d, \u201cextremist\u201d and \u201cintolerant\u201d. However, when it comes to Ukrainian LGBTQ+ organizations donating money to Azov, Russian propaganda remains silent, as well as it ignores the fact of Russian neo-nazis fighting against Ukraine<\/a> right now. How does it correspond with a declared mission to protect Russian speakers from Ukrainian \u200b”neo-Nazis”? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, Russia mentioned the existence of the Azov Regiment as one of the main reasons for its “special military operation to denazify Ukraine.” While Russia, having a tremendous advantage in equipment and number of troops, was unsuccessfully trying to gain control over Mariupol to get a land bridge linking the occupied territories with Crimea, men and women from Azovstal proved they have been truly made of steel. Azov became not only the symbol of Ukraine’s fierce resistance but also a symbol of Russia\u2019s weakness. Azov’s strong motivation and determination have always caught the attention of Russian propaganda, so disinformation attacks on the regiment have not stopped since 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Photo from Azovstal by Dmytro Kozatskyi (call sign \u201cOrest\u201d), an Azov Regiment fighter, who spent 84 days at the steelworks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trying to “save the face” of its bloody regime and get at least a metaphoric \u201cvictory over nazism\u201d, Russia is doing everything possible to demonize and discredit the captured defenders of Azovstal. While the Kremlin has officially stated they would be treated in line with international norms, some Russian lawmakers have already accused them of war crimes and one said they should face the death penalty<\/a>. Moreover, Denis Pushilin, the leader of the puppet “Donetsk People\u2019s Republic”, has already said<\/a> that Azovstal defenders are being held on the territory of the “republic” <\/strong>and will face an \u201cinternational tribunal\u201d there. The death penalty is commonly used in the \u201cDPR\u201d, which is a violation of all fundamental principles of the right to a fair trial. Anyway, after 8 years of feeding the Russian people the \u201cneo-nazi Azov\u201d narrative for years, it would be hard for the Kremlin to justify the death of thousands of Russian troops during the siege of Mariupol by just agreeing to the exchange procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Putin, there is no difference who to mark as \u201cneo-nazi\u201d: from the members of the Ukrainian president who is of Jewish origin to the Israel government for \u201csupporting neo-nazism<\/a>\u201d, which Russia\u2019s foreign minister blamed for \u201cHitler\u2019s Jewish blood\u201d. Every day, Russia is more and more entangled in its lies and propaganda, but every day is also worth up to 100 lives of Ukrainian heroes.<\/a> And that is why Ukraine does not have an option to surrender and the world should support and remember Ukrainian sacrifice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n\t
\n\t
<\/div><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n<\/div>
The film \u201cMariupol Fortress. Last Day at Azovstal\u201d was made by Dmytro Kozatsky and edited by BABYLON\u201913.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After Ukraine\u2019s victory in Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the Kalush Orchestra calling on the whole world to help the Ukrainian defenders blocked in Mariupol, Google searches for \u201cAzovstal\u201d and \u201cAzov\u201d increased several times. 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