| | 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> |
| − | On February 24, 2022 [[President Vladimir Putin]] of Russia announced [[Operation Denazification]] to clean out the fascist battalions which have waged war on the civilians of the [[Donbas]] Republics since 2014, killing at least 13,000.<ref>http://www.indiandefencereview.com/what-forced-a-russian-response-in-ukraine/</ref> Azov Battalion members were added to Armed Forces of the Ukraine (AFU) units to function as political commissars during the 2022 [[Ukraine war], executing Ukrainian soldiers who wanted to surrender to Russian forces. | + | On February 24, 2022 [[President Vladimir Putin]] of Russia announced [[Operation Denazification]] to clean out the fascist battalions which have waged war on the civilians of the [[Donbas]] Republics since 2014, killing at least 13,000.<ref>http://www.indiandefencereview.com/what-forced-a-russian-response-in-ukraine/</ref> Azov Battalion members were added to Armed Forces of the Ukraine (AFU) units to function as political commissars during the 2022 [[Ukraine war]], executing Ukrainian soldiers who wanted to surrender to Russian forces.<ref>https://southfront.org/first-footage-from-illich-plant-in-mariupol-under-dpr-control-photos-video-18/</ref> Azov members were accused by civilian survivors of committing heinous [[war crimes]] against civilians, including murder and the use of civilians, including children, as human shields. |