That was one long paragraph, lol...

The facts: The Azov Regiment (formerly the Azov Battalion) was formed in may 2014 as a volunteer paramilitary militia under the command of Andriy Biletsky to fight pro-Russian forces in the Donbas War, and was formally incorporated into the National Guard on 11 November 2014.

During that time there has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding the Azov unit, from claims that they are/were actively promoting the spread of neo-nazi propaganda, to allegations of crimes against humanity. In 2016, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch received several credible allegations of abuse and torture by the regiment. Reports published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documented looting of civilian homes and unlawful detention and torture of civilians between September 2014 and February 2015 "by Ukrainian armed forces and the Azov regiment in and around Shyrokyne".

Another OHCHR report documented an instance of rape and torture, writing: "A man with a mental disability was subject to cruel treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence by 8 to 10 members of the 'Azov' and 'Donbas' (another Ukrainian battalion) battalions in August–September 2014. The victim's health subsequently deteriorated and he was hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital." A report from January 2015 stated that a Donetsk Republic supporter was detained and tortured with electricity and waterboarding and struck repeatedly on his genitals, which resulted in his confessing to spying for pro-Russian militants.

While it cannot be denied that Azov's founders indeed held what would be considered far-right political views and may have even been nazi sympathizers, claims of nazism/nazi sympathizers against the Regiment itself as a whole have been determined time and time again to be false, pro-Russian rhetoric meant to slander Azov and win over more supporters to the Kremlin's crooked cause against the Ukraine.

That aside, it's worth pointing out that Putin's Russia has and continues to employ a group of mercenaries known as the Wagner group, who are known neo-fascists themselves and who probably have nazi sympathizers in their ranks. Imagine the irony in that, Putin lies about Azov being nazis and he turns around and employs a group nazis, haha unreal...

Also wanted to briefly point out that after the conflict in Donbas in 2014 there were a number of those on the political left from US politicians to media sources who openly bashed and criticized the Azov Regiment as nazis. Cannot recall names now, but back in around 2016 or so came across a few articles from left-leaning sources who said some rather nasty albeit slanderous things about Azov. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this year and Biden eventually giving a formal declaration of support for the Ukrainian people (he sure waited long enough to do so), a good number of those on the left who had previously slandered Azov are now singing a different tune, because you know... our Government had to say something first in order to change their minds on that matter. So unfortunately it's not only the pro-Kremlin propagandists who have slandered Azov, a good number of those on the left had partaken in that bashing as well. As for me, since 2014 I have sympathized with Azov's cause, and still do to this day, and admire their fighting spirit.

Oh don't worry Mister Garban, not for one moment do I intend to forget the "agents of lies and perpetrators of war crimes", as once that conflict eventually comes to an end and they start seriously investigating the crimes against humanity, every one of those over on the sister site to this one who did posts trying/showing support for Putin and his cronies are going to get reported to the authorities for aiding and abetting war crimes online. They thought it humorous to mock and ridicule people like me who showed support for the Ukrainian side, and called my evidence of Russian war crimes "fake news", I'll be the one laughing then as I report every one of those wankers to the authorities. Every bastard will have his day, and hopefully in Putin's case that day comes sooner rather than later, and the same for all of his mindless followers out there.

There is a Neo-Nazi group Azov Battalion, a militia in Ukraine. Russia did defeat Nazis in WWII, so they deserve some credit for that. If Putin had been alive in 1940, he would have been a sympathizer of Hitler. Stalin signed a treaty with Hitler. It's a good thing Hitler double crossed him.