Saturday, August 30, 2014

Foreign Policy — Preparing for War with Ukraine’s Fascist Defenders of Freedom

On the frontlines of the new offensive in eastern Ukraine, the hardcore Azov Battalion is ready for battle with Russia. But they're not fighting for Europe, either.

MARIUPOL, Ukraine - Blue and yellow Ukrainian flags fly over Mariupol's burned-out city administration building and at military checkpoints around the city, but at a sport school near a huge metallurgical plant, another symbol is just as prominent: the wolfsangel ("wolf trap") symbol that was widely used in the Third Reich and has been adopted by neo-Nazi groups.
 
The Azov Battalion -- so named for the Sea of Azov on which this industrial city is located -- is one of dozens of volunteer battalions fighting alongside pro-government forces in eastern Ukraine. After separatist troops and armor attacked from the nearby Russian border and took the neighboring town of Novoazovsk, this openly neo-Nazi unit has suddenly found itself defending the city against what Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called a Russian invasion.
Foreign Policy

See also, How can you tell whether Russia has invaded Ukraine? ClubOrlov by Dmitry Orlov, ClubOrlov .

6 comments:

Ralph Musgrave said...

Apart from the logo in their flag which is similar to the Swastika, there's not a shred of evidence that I can see in the articles linked to above that the opponents of independence for the Eastern part of Ukraine are actually Nazi in any way. What about the Christian cross? That's the same as the Swastika except that it doesn't have those right angle tails at the end of each arm of the cross.

Or have I missed something?

Matt Franko said...

They're both 'symbols' Ralph...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolism

Sort of "graphic metonyms" if you will... they can represent different things to each person... both imprecise...

Ralph what's your take on Cameron's plan to deal with the ISIS/ISIL threat ... heard some of his speech from Friday looks like he is ready to crack down on all the "comings and goings" of these people at least (talked of revoking passports, etc..) ... I'd say "finally"...

rsp,

Peter Pan said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azov_Battalion

An army battalion wearing SS insignia - what else are we supposed to think?

Unknown said...

You have missed a lot, Ralph.
Watch a documentary titled "Neo-Nazis in Ukraine" posted on YouTube by Montreal-based GlobalResearchTV.
The forces that came to power in Ukraine as a result of the February military coup – are exactly what you will see in this documentary.

Tom Hickey said...

"Or have I missed something?"

History.

Unknown said...

"Or have I missed something?"

Yes, definitely