Azov: we are nazis
The West up to a couple years ago: Azov is nazi
Russia: Azov is nazi
Western media today: calling Azov "nazis" is Russian disinformation
Nazism is only Nazism if it comes from the Azov Battalion of Ukraine. Otherwise it's just sparkling genocide.
Oh... I just noticed that this is the explanation all the reports are running with... yikes
I trust the "vetting" from the military whose conscripting folks over the age of 40
I really like how they got rebranded to “special forces” despite being a bunch of random militia fighters. I’m guessing it’s part of the compromise between being absorbed into the military and still being allowed to exist as an entity
The actual fucking USA government argued some rando on Twitter and this was the best comeback they had??
Definitely agree with them on the second numbered point but not in the way they’d like.
Wait are there actually two units who use the name “Azov”? Because if so that’s even funnier.
nah even natopedia doesn't attempt to draw this strong of a distinction. They're composed of the same people (give or take casualties and new recruits), they are the same
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azov_Brigade
They were folded into the official armed forces as a special operations battalion all the way back in 2014 (and even before that they were sanctioned by the interior department for a while). So all this guy is claiming is "we didn't give them guns before 2014", really.
America: "Oh my god Volodymir, are you giving our weapons to Nazis?"
Zelensky, slipping Azov into a brown paper bag: "No. Of course not."
America: "Ahh, okay, carry on then."
The second image is more like "mr burns? No no, i'm mr BURNS! we're two different guys"
necessary security forces vetting
they made sure that at least 2/3 of the battalion had visible nazi tattoos
