President Joe Biden
sense President Trump has said white supremacy is the “most dangerous terrorist threat” and his administration will lift a ban on arms sales to a Ukrainian brigade that has had ties to neo-Nazism since its founding, although current members deny charges of extremism.
In June 2015, the U.S. Congress
Unanimously approved An amendment to the Department of Defense budget that prohibits U.S. funds under the Department of Defense Appropriations Act from being used to provide weapons, training, or other support to Ukraine’s 12th Special Forces Azov Brigade, then known as the Azov Battalion.
Former Michigan State Rep. John Conyers (Democrat)
Said The “Neo-Nazi Ukrainian Militia” group, founded by Ukrainian politician Andriy Biletsky, Foreign Policy as “openly neo-Nazis” and “fascists.”
Biletsky, who led the neo-Nazi groups “National Socialist Congress” and “Patriots of Ukraine,” made little secret of his National Socialist roots.
ReportedlyHe has criticized “black philanthropy” and the “blackening” of Ukraine, recalled Adolf Hitler as a military leader, and denied that the Holocaust happened. Protected He wrote a college thesis about paramilitary Nazi collaborators and adopted a symbol for his militia that closely resembled the Nazi Wolfsangel.
“These groups are antithetical to American values and would pose a major threat to the Ukrainian government and people once the fighting ends.”
Years after his release from prison and months after the 2022 Russian invasion, Biletsky
Said“We do not sympathize with Nazi ideology.”
“Many media outlets, including the New York Times,
ParentsThe Associated Press confirms the predominance of white supremacist and anti-Semitic views within this group,” Conyers said.
“These groups are antithetical to American values and pose a significant threat to the Ukrainian government and people once the fighting ends,” the Democrat continued. “As we have seen time and again, most notably with the Afghan mujahideen, these groups will not lay down their weapons once the conflict ends.”
They are They use weapons against their own people to enforce their hateful views.”
In the same year that Azov received a US arms embargo, it was absorbed into the National Guard of Ukraine, at which point its political and military wings were officially separated.
The Pentagon
The lobbying effort was successful The House Defense and Appropriations Committee recommended removing the amendment from next year’s defense budget, but the amendment Came back It also influenced subsequent appropriations bills.
The State Department also appears to have banned the Azov Brigades from receiving training or American weapons.
If it hasn’t changed yet, that’s all about to change.
Following a long-standing request from Sea of Azov Commander Denis Prokopenko
request Biden’s State Department response to US officials published in the newspaper Ukrainska Pravda Confirmed The Washington Post reported on Monday that the Biden administration had approved the Azov Brigades to receive American weapons.
The Post highlighted that the timing of the announcement coincided with “Kiev launching its summer fighting season.”
“After a thorough review, Ukraine’s 12th Special Forces Azov Brigade passed Secretary Leahy’s review conducted by the U.S. Department of State,” the State Department said in a statement.
“Leahy LawThe No Human Rights Abuses Act, named after former Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), involves two pieces of legislation that prohibit the U.S. government from using taxpayer money to support foreign extremists “when there is credible information that its forces have committed serious human rights abuses (GVHR).” One statutory provision applies to the Department of State and the other to the Department of Defense.
In the Azov Brigade case, the Biden administration maintains that, contrary to what Russia has repeatedly asserted, there is no evidence of a GVHR.
Declared In 2022, a terrorist organization called the Azov Brigades was formed.
“This is a new chapter in the history of our unit.”
The State Department did not tell The Post whether the ban had been lifted or whether the weapons had already reached the militants in Azov.
Apparently Their units now include Ukrainian Jewish soldiers.
Azov Brigade
Said “We would like to thank the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the National Guard Command of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States and all those who contributed to passing the review,” the statement said.
“Becoming eligible for U.S. support not only improves Azov’s combat capabilities, but, most importantly, protects the lives and health of the brigade’s personnel,” the statement continued. “This marks a new page in the history of our troops. Azov has become more professional and effective in defending Ukraine against aggressors.”
Associated Press
report Current members of the brigade deny allegations that they are extremists or have links to “far-right movements.”
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