Azov Battalion: The far-right defenders of Mariupol making Putin’s words ring true

"We are running out of food. We really need to get home," said a woman holding her toddler in her lap.

In an unverified video released on 23 April, we got a glimpse of the civilians sheltering in Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol. According to Ukrainian authorities, the number of civilians - including women and children - is more than a thousand. 

The video was released by the Azov Regiment, initially a far right, voluntary military unit that was formed in May 2014. Later in November 2014, they were integrated into the Ukrainian Border Guard after they successfully recaptured Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists. 

Azov Regiment's ideologies are rooted in ultra-nationalism and white supremacy. The insignia for the militia is a combination of two Nazi symbols, that of the "black sun" and the "wolf's hook." Much of the soldiers themselves have tattoos that prominently feature Nazi symbols. 

This unit was particularly referenced by Russian President Vladimir Putin when he claimed the presence of such extremist groups as the justification for his "special military operation." His aim was "to demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine," but whether there is a genuine truth to his statement is a more complicated matter. 

The Azov Battalion was founded in the backdrop of the revolution in Ukraine in 2014 - comprising two nationalist and neo-Nazi groups: the Patriot of Ukraine and the Social National Assembly. The founder and first commander Andriy Biletsky, known as "White Ruler," is a notorious nationalist and neo-Nazi.

And its inclusion in the National Guard in the same year meant that standards had to be tightened. Several members were expelled and replaced with soldiers with cleaner track records. But Azov was still synonymous with far right extremism and no matter their efforts, they could not really shake it off.

Azov Battalion, over time, continued to symbolise certain far-right extremist ideals. One that has gained them both fame and notoriety. Those sympathetic to their founding ideals still flocked to Ukraine. Their recruitment centre, based in Kyiv, is a site acquired from Ukraine's Defence Ministry. 

Featuring lecture halls, libraries and even a shop, it has become the hub of Azov's ideologies.  

The success of their recruitment efforts is not just confined to Ukraine, they have volunteers from all over the world including the United States, Canada, Scandinavian countries amongst others. Many of these volunteers boast similar backgrounds with Biletsky, the White Ruler. 

Dabir Khan. Illustration: TBS

Facebook came to play a major role in their recruitment. Algorithms tended to sway sympathetic users to these extremist hubs where it was easy to become radicalised. 

When Russian forces attacked eastern Ukraine in 2014, Azov held them back. Their first major combat experience proved successful and the militia was lauded for their efforts. Ignoring the battalion's Nazi ties, they were quickly absolved into Ukraine's National Guard.

In 2016, Facebook classed the group as a tier 1 dangerous organisation, taking their place beside terrorist groups like Ku Klax Klan and ISIS. However, though the Azov group itself was being suppressed, members were still free to interact. A day after the Russian-Ukraine war of 2022 was underway, Facebook reverted its policies citing "a narrow exception" due to the Battalion's role in defending Ukraine. 

Russia's invasion of Ukraine came with a new set of opportunities for the militia. While Ukrainians vehemently denied the permeating far-right influence, volunteers for Azov steadily increased. And continue to gain in number. 

According to SITE Intelligence group, far right, white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups in particular have been coming out in droves to support and join the voluntary militias. The sympathisers have cited anti-communist and Nazi ideals as the principal motivation for their support for Azov. 

If such massive numbers of far-right soldiers are indeed mobilising in Ukraine, there could be a truth in Putin's statement. Even if this particular case is still driven by purely patriotic motivations, the presence of these forces at the front lines in Ukraine does not bode well. If the numbers continue to rise, the patriotic intentions behind the war could well be hijacked by more extremist ideologies.

The fact that Ukraine struggles with combating racist ideologies is an open secret, one further exposed during the war. Fleeing non-white refugees have faced horrifying situations and racism at the hands of Ukrainians. And the continuing success of Azov Battalion's defensive efforts has earned them a steady reverence.

Azov Battalion currently holds significant power in the Ukrainian military and how wide the reach of their success will be in Ukraine's political sphere is a legitimate concern now, it seems.