{"id":84620,"date":"2018-02-02T20:51:51","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T20:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=64197"},"modified":"2018-02-03T11:53:19","modified_gmt":"2018-02-03T09:53:19","slug":"64197-paramilitary-natsionalni-druzhyny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/64197-paramilitary-natsionalni-druzhyny","title":{"rendered":"Paramilitary units or a PR move: 10 facts about\u00a0“The\u00a0National Militia Units”"},"content":{"rendered":"

On January 28 a spectacular march took place in Kyiv: young men wearing camouflage uniforms and balaclavas walked through the central streets. When the march ended about 600 members of the NGO \u201c<\/em>The Natsionalni\u00a0<\/em>Druzhyny\u201d (National Militia Units) founded by the veterans of the Azov regiment were sworn in. Many found this scene similar to marches of paramilitary units. It\u00a0came as a dream picture for the Russian propaganda and for those western media that consider there are risks of the nationalistic retaliation in Ukraine. It also raised a number of questions.<\/em><\/p>\n

What does the appearance of The Natsionalni Druzhyny on the streets of Ukrainian cities actually mean? Is Ukraine heading towards the paramilitary regime? Has the power been seized by the far-right groups or is the Ministry of Interior unwisely using the far-right forces? UCMC has been following the coverage of the events in local media as well as the reaction of Ukrainians over the last week. We herewith give you the key questions regarding The Natsionalni Druzhyny and answers\u00a0for them.<\/em><\/div>\n

How is\u00a0<\/strong>The Natsionalni<\/strong>\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>linked to the Azov battalion?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n

The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>is a project of the so-called Azov-related circle linked to the Azov regiment of the National Guard. Azov regiment was established based on the volunteer battalion Azov that had been taking part in the combat actions in eastern Ukraine since 2014. In 2017, the regiment\u2019s veterans established the political party \u201cNational Corps\u201d (Natsionalnyi Korpus) chaired by MP Andriy Biletskyi. Earlier they founded several non-government organizations including \u201cCivic Corps\u201d (Tsyvilnyi Korpus) and \u201cDefense and Reconstruction of the Country\u201d (Zakhyst\u00a0i\u00a0rekonstruktsia\u00a0krayiny, abbreviated ZiRKa). Official founders of the NGO \u201cThe Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u201d registered in Kyiv are three veterans of the Azov regiment: Ihor Kashka, Artem Klimkin, and Maksym\u00a0Klymka. Another Azov veteran Ihor Bober is listed as the organization\u2019s head, the regiment\u2019s veteran commander Ihor Mykhailenko is the commander.
\n<\/p>\n

Far-right? Nationalists? Fascists?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For four years in a row \u201cNational Corps\u201d members, as well as Azov regiment combatants, have been labeled supporters of the neo-Nazi ideology, also many\u00a0point\u00a0at them for utilizing the runic symbols similar to the symbols used by the Nazi. In the first place, the Azov regiment was founded by members of the far-right organization \u201cPatriot of Ukraine\u201d (Patriot Ukrainy) and football ultras, who often do not hide their far-right views. According to Ihor Mykhailenko, chief of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny, many members of the militia units are supporters of the \u201cmodern nationalism\u201d ideology that is at the basis of the \u201cNational Corps\u201d party.
\n<\/p>\n

De jure: an NGO or a unit set to maintain public order?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As explained by Ihor Bober, head of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny, in Kyiv the units operate under the NGO status while in other cities, for example, in Lutsk or Cherkasy \u2013 as a civic unit set to maintain public order. “We are working to have the documents for Kyiv re-registered,” he explained.<\/p>\n

Will they be patrolling the streets of the capital?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Head of the department for interaction with the law enforcement and municipal security of the Kyiv City State Administration Oleh Kuyavskyi said that the city authorities had not received any respective documents from\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny. Head of the Kyiv patrol police department Yuriy Zozulia said that Kyiv policemen are not jointly patrolling the streets with any civic group. \u201cMy position is: if you want to protect the public order \u2013\u00a0go\u00a0serve\u00a0with the police,\u201d the police chief said. \u201cWe met with them to realize that they are interested rather in spreading the information about themselves than in patrolling the streets together with policemen,\u201d Zozulia said.<\/p>\n

How\u00a0<\/strong>The Natsionalni<\/strong>\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>is financed?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This question is of concern to many who watch the story unfolding, and the concerns are not groundless. Hromadske Radio counted that in order to procure the coats for one thousand persons across Ukraine one would need over UAH 1,7 million (approx. EUR 50 thousand). Expenses get even bigger if the cost of fleece hats is also counted. Members of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny reassure that the organization exists thanks to the membership donations. Responding to the journalists\u2019 questions Ihor Mykhailenko said: \u201cThere is no fixed sum for a donation. Everyone brings as much as they want.\u201d However, earlier Roman Chernyshov, spokesperson of the political party \u201cNational Corps\u201d that actually organized the ceremony where 600 militia unit members were sworn in on January 28, told Hromadske Radio in a comment that\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>is financed by Ukrainian businesses without naming particular companies or entrepreneurs. At the same time, leaders of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>say it is not true. \u201cI guess it is unlikely that he could have said that\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>is being financed by representatives of the business. It is not true,\u201d the commander of\u00a0The Natsionalni Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>said.<\/p>\n

Are\u00a0<\/strong>The Natsionalni<\/strong>\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>\u201cthe army\u201d of the Interior Minister Arsen Avakov?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There is a widespread opinion that\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>may be a \u201cprivate army\u201d of the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov. At the same time, both Avakov and the units\u2019 representatives disprove it publicly. \u201cThere is only one monopoly on enforcing the law \u2013 it\u2019s the National Guard, the National Police and the Ukrainian Armed Forces. All other paramilitary groups trying to establish themselves in the streets are not legal,\u201d Avakov said. \u201cAs the minister, I will not allow any parallel structures to establish themselves in the streets as alternative military groups,\u201d the Minister added. \u201cNeither\u00a0Avakov,\u00a0nor Poroshenko or any other agency has any moral authority for us. They are the authorities that missed out their chance,\u201d said Ihor Mykhailenko, head of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny.<\/em><\/p>\n

Does the setup of\u00a0<\/strong>The Natsionalni<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>violate the law?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Law \u201cOn participation of citizens in securing public order and the state border\u201d repeatedly quoted by the leaders of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny foresees the possibility to engage representatives of civic groups in patrolling of the streets but exclusively jointly with the National police staff. Representatives of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>actually interpret the provisions of the law quite freely. Thus, at the press-conference of January 31 in Kyiv Ihor Mykhailenko did not deny the fact that there are minors among the organization\u2019s members. \u201cThese are 17-year old guys who already graduated from school. I don\u2019t see anything wrong\u00a0with\u00a0it,\u201d he said. The Law currently stipulates that only persons of age can be members of such civic groups. The Law also prohibits the use of cold weapons or firearms by the civic group members. However, the\u00a0application form<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0asks if the applicant is in possession of registered weapons.<\/p>\n

A successful PR move for a political party?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ministry of Interior spokesperson Artem Shevchenko claims that the appearance of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>is a \u201cquite successful PR move on their side, a staged trick and nothing more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that he is not sure whether\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>is registered as a group that can safeguard public order in accordance with the law. \u201cIt is the journalists\u2019 job to find out if they are what they pretend to be or they are just bluffing by shooting beautiful videos and thus making themselves being mentioned on the main TV channels without actually paying for the advertising. Any NGO that is legally registered and is registered with the regional offices of the Ministry of Justice as a civic group for the safeguarding of the public order or the state border, can actually be doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vox populi: the reaction of the Ukrainian society.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The most widespread reaction of Ukrainians is open concern and mistrust.
\n\u201cThe biggest concern as to the activities of\u00a0The Natsionalni Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>is with the ideology of the political force to which this NGO is linked. It is of totalitarian and anti-democratic nature,\u201d such an opinion was expressed by human rights defender Vyacheslav Likhachov.<\/p>\n

Human rights defender Maksym Butkevych adds: \u201cIn its time the Social-National Party of Ukraine was also emphasizing the \u2018ability to establish the order\u2019 as well as the brutal militarization. It then quickly reached its climax and started declining, until it was skillfully rebranded into the All-Ukrainian Union \u201cSvoboda\u201d (Liberty). It turned out that not so many people like the\u00a0ordnung<\/em>\u00a0– its version presented by the self-proclaimed racially conscious \u2018patriots\u2019. However, back then it was not linked so much to one of the units of the National Guard and was not being covered by the leadership of the Ministry of Interior, neither it was a full-fledged paramilitary organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yekaterina Makarevich, a Russian journalist who immigrated to Ukraine from the Russian Federation and is analyzing the Ukrainian society after the Revolution of Dignity, wrote on her Facebook page: \u201cIt\u2019s the first time I was scared in the two years that I live in Ukraine\u2026 Firstly, it looks like Nazism in its entire disciplined \u2018magnificence\u2019. Ukraine has always been known for being diverse, that\u2019s the charm of the Ukrainian atmosphere. Secondly, it is impossible to establish the order by force without removing the freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some experts are trying to understand the logic of the events in the appearance of\u00a0The Natsionalni Druzhyny.\u00a0<\/em>Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, chief executive director of Transparency International Ukraine, wrote on Facebook: \u201cAs to\u00a0T<\/em>he Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny,\u00a0<\/em>municipal patrols, and other paramilitary groups. There is no vacuum of functions. If the state is unable to provide the monopoly for the use of force to protect its citizens, someone else will do it. It is neither negative nor positive, it is a reality. (\u2026) Ukrainians have long been known for establishing the structures that were parallel to the authorities. In times of external governance, it used to save us. When we do have our own state, it may have a different outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Natsionalni<\/strong>\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>as a new \u201cbusiness card of Yarosh\u201d?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Finally, a considerable part of the Ukrainian society reacted to the appearance of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>with a laughter and irony. Social media users compare the actual threat of\u00a0The Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u00a0<\/em>with that of the \u201cbusiness card of Yarosh\u201d back in 2014 \u2013 an exaggeration. Besides, in Ukrainian \u201cdruzhyna\u201d also means \u201cwife\u201d, so various funny pictures started being shared on social media in regard to \u201cnational wives\u201d (like the one below).
\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\t\"\"\t\t\n\t\t\tView Gallery<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t5 images\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/figure>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On January 28 a spectacular march took place in Kyiv: young men wearing camouflage uniforms and balaclavas walked through the central streets. When the march ended about 600 members of the NGO \u201cThe Natsionalni\u00a0Druzhyny\u201d (National Militia Units) founded by the veterans of the Azov regiment were sworn in. Many found this scene similar to marches […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":84621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[705,748],"tags":[],"section":[743],"form":[],"yoast_head":"\nParamilitary units or a PR move: 10 facts about\u00a0"The\u00a0National Militia Units" | UACRISIS.ORG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"On January 28 a spectacular march took place in Kyiv: young men wearing camouflage uniforms and balaclavas walked through the central streets. 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