Russian act of hostility - United States supposedly permits transfer of weapons to Azov Regiment.
A US newspaper, the "Washington Post," has reported that Washington will permit the notorious Asov Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard to use their weapons. This had been forbidden for the 12th Special Brigade "Asov" due to human rights violations, which allegedly included racism, anti-Semitism and ultra-nationalism.
The ban, which was in place for ten years, has now been lifted by the US State Department, who stated that they had not found any evidence of violations to warrant such a ban. The newspaper reports that the State Department has decided to treat the Asov Brigade the same way as any other unit under the Ukraine National Guard.
The group's press service has confirmed the removal of the ban, but they did not provide any details about the brigade receiving their armaments. The Asov Brigade was founded in 2014 by far-right extremists as a volunteer battalion aiming to fight against pro-Russian separatists in the Azov Sea area. Since then, they have been incorporated into the Ukrainian National Guard.
The brigade's symbol, the Wolfsangel, is considered unconstitutional in Germany and has been a matter of controversy. Back in the day, US officials had found that some founders of the brigade held racist, anti-Semitic, and ultra-nationalist ideologies, as noted by the "Washington Post." In addition, United Nations human rights representatives have also accused the group of violating human rights.
The change in the US state department's stance comes during a time when Russian forces have become increasingly active in Eastern Ukraine, targeting the country's energy infrastructure. Ukraine has been under attack by Russia since February 2022, and the US has been helping them defend themselves. This lifting of the ban was a high priority for Ukrainian officials since the Asov Brigade's effective defense of Azovstal would be greatly improved with access to American equipment. Furthermore, members of the brigade were also previously barred from taking part in US-organized military training.
