Changes

Reports published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have connected the Azov Battalion to [[war crime]]s such as mass looting, unlawful detention, and torture.<ref name="ohchr1">{{cite web |url=http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_13th_HRMMU_Report_3March2016.pdf |title=Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine 16 November 2015 to 15 February 2016 |work=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |date=February 2016 |access-date=16 November 2016 |archive-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306083551/http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_13th_HRMMU_Report_3March2016.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ohchr2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_14th_HRMMU_Report.pdf |title=Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine 16 February to 15 May 2016 |work=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |date=May 2016 |access-date=16 November 2016 |archive-date=17 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517163153/http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_14th_HRMMU_Report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> An OHCHR report from March 2016 stated that the organisation had "collected detailed information about the conduct of hostilities by Ukrainian armed forces and the Azov regiment in and around Shyrokyne (31km east of [[Mariupol]]), from the summer of 2014 to date. Mass looting of civilian homes was documented, as well as targeting of civilian areas between September 2014 and February 2015."<ref name="ohchr1" />  

Reports published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have connected the Azov Battalion to [[war crime]]s such as mass looting, unlawful detention, and torture.<ref name="ohchr1">{{cite web |url=http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_13th_HRMMU_Report_3March2016.pdf |title=Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine 16 November 2015 to 15 February 2016 |work=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |date=February 2016 |access-date=16 November 2016 |archive-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306083551/http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_13th_HRMMU_Report_3March2016.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ohchr2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_14th_HRMMU_Report.pdf |title=Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine 16 February to 15 May 2016 |work=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |date=May 2016 |access-date=16 November 2016 |archive-date=17 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517163153/http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/Ukraine_14th_HRMMU_Report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> An OHCHR report from March 2016 stated that the organisation had "collected detailed information about the conduct of hostilities by Ukrainian armed forces and the Azov regiment in and around Shyrokyne (31km east of [[Mariupol]]), from the summer of 2014 to date. Mass looting of civilian homes was documented, as well as targeting of civilian areas between September 2014 and February 2015."<ref name="ohchr1" />  

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."<ref name="ohchr2" /> A report from January 2015 stated that a Donetsk Republic supporter was detained and tortured with electricity and [[waterboarding]], which resulted in his confessing to spying for pro-Russian militants.<ref name="ohchr2" />

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."<ref name="ohchr2" /> A report from January 2015 stated that a Donetsk Republic supporter was detained and tortured with electricity and [[waterboarding]], which resulted in his confessing to spying for pro-Russian militants.<ref name="ohchr2" />  In early February 2022 Russia accused Ukraine's military of committing "crimes against residents of the eastern Donbas region" in a report filed with the [[United Nations]].<ref>https://theweek.com/russia/1010313/russia-in-report-to-un-again-accuses-ukraine-of-genocide-amid-shelling-in-donbas</ref>  The Russian news outlet ''Sputnik'' reported that the Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal investigation after the discovery of mass graves of civilians in Donbass.  "The remains of at least 295 civilians who died as a result of indiscriminate shelling by Ukrainian armed forces in 2014 were exhumed from them. It is already known that among the remains there are bodies of women of different ages," a statement from the committee said.<ref>https://sputniknews.com/20220216/russia-opens-criminal-case-after-discovery-of-mass-graves-of-civilians-in-donbass-1093089542.html</ref>

Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] called the events in Donbass a "[[genocide]],"<ref>https://www.marketwatch.com/story/russian-documents-level-genocide-allegation-against-ukraine-in-eastern-donbas-region-11645114453</ref> saying that the Ukrainian government continues to violate [[human rights]], including by legalizing the [[discrimination]] of the Russian-speaking population in the country.  On January 16, 2022 ''Tass'' reported that Ukraine mandated all print media are to switch to the Ukrainian language.<ref>https://tass.com/world/1388729</ref>

In 2019, the Soufan Center, created by former FBI agent Ali Soufan, who was involved in a number of counter-terrorism cases, warned about the connection between the [[Azov Battalion]] and white nationalists. “In [[Ukraine]], the Azov Battalion has recruited foreign fighters motivated by white supremacy and neo-Nazi beliefs, including many from [[the West]], to join its ranks and receive training, indoctrination and instruction in irregular warfare,” the report outlined.<ref>https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-officials-who-met-with-ukrainian-unit-linked-to-neo-nazis-feared-exposure-by-news-media-documents</ref>

In 2019, the Soufan Center, created by former FBI agent Ali Soufan, who was involved in a number of counter-terrorism cases, warned about the connection between the [[Azov Battalion]] and white nationalists. “In [[Ukraine]], the Azov Battalion has recruited foreign fighters motivated by white supremacy and neo-Nazi beliefs, including many from [[the West]], to join its ranks and receive training, indoctrination and instruction in irregular warfare,” the report outlined.<ref>https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-officials-who-met-with-ukrainian-unit-linked-to-neo-nazis-feared-exposure-by-news-media-documents</ref>