WP: the US authorities lifted the ban on the supply of weapons to the Azov battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The United States lifted the ban on arms supplies to Azov*. Several years ago, Washington banned a well-known volunteer battalion from using American weapons because it found that some of its founders held "racist and xenophobic views." Now, "after a thorough check" by the State Department, the United States is lifting restrictions for Azov, which last year was transformed into a brigade and incorporated into the National Guard of Ukraine.
The Joe Biden administration allowed Azov (an organization recognized as terrorist and extremist, banned in Russia) to use American weapons, lifting the ban imposed several years ago. In 2018, the United States banned Azov from using American weapons, as it found that some of its founders held "racist, xenophobic and ultranationalist views," and UN human rights representatives accused the regiment of "humanitarian violations."
Now Azov will have access to the same US military assistance as other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"The 12th Ukrainian special forces brigade "Azov" has passed a thorough check of the Leahy, which was conducted by the State Department," The Washington Post (WP) newspaper reported, citing the State Department.
The Leahy Act prohibits the provision of American military assistance to foreign military formations that are found guilty of serious human rights violations. The law is named after former Senator Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat from Vermont)[/i], who wrote it.
The State Department found "no evidence" of such violations, WP writes.
The Azov volunteer battalion was created in 2014 and has been fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ever since. Azov fighters participated in the battles for Mariupol in the spring of 2022, including for the Azovstal plant. After the surrender in May, in September of that year, 215 "Azov soldiers" were exchanged for 55 Russian military and Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk. The deal took place with the assistance of Turkey, where five Azov commanders were to remain until the end of the conflict "under personal guarantees" of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, in July 2023, they returned to Ukraine. At the same time, Azov was transformed into a brigade and incorporated into the National Guard of Ukraine.
Image source: Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP
According to WP, lifting the ban was a "top priority" for Ukrainian officials, who say the brigade "could have been more effective" in defending Azovstal in 2022 if it had had access to American weapons and training from American instructors.
The brigade's leadership says that it has long since got rid of associations with neo-Nazis, and the commanders have completely changed since its foundation. Last year, Azov took advantage of its new brigade status and launched an intensive recruitment campaign across the country, which resulted in more than 5,000 new troops being recruited in about two months.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long referred to the racist and ultranationalist elements of the Azov battalion as an element of his accusation of neo-Nazism against the Kiev regime, WP notes: "A shift in US policy is likely to reignite this Russian criticism."
Dmitry Shumov
