*** Welcome to piglix ***

Azov battalion

Special Operations Detachment "Azov"
(Zahin Osoblyvogo Priznacenniya)
Azov symbol.png

Sleeve badge of the Azov Regiment
Active 5 May 2014 – present
Country  Ukraine
Branch Emblem of the National Guard of Ukraine.svg National Guard of Ukraine
Type Regular military unit (Detachment/Regiment)
Role Light infantry, armored infantry, militia
Size Approx. 3 500 men
Garrison/HQ Urzuf, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. Other HQs and detachments in Kiev, Berdiansk and Mariupol
Colours Blue and Gold
Anniversaries 5 May
Engagements
Commanders
Colonel of
the Regiment
Vadim Troyan
Notable
commanders
Andriy Biletsky, Vadym Troyan, Igor Tcherkass, Igor Mosijchuk, Dmytro Linko

The Azov Regiment (Ukrainian: Полк Азов) is a National Guard of Ukraine regiment. The unit is based in Mariupol in the Azov Sea coastal region. It saw its first combat experience recapturing Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists forces in June 2014. Initially a volunteer militia, formed as the Azov Battalion on 5 May 2014 during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, since 12 November 2014 Azov has been incorporated into the National Guard of Ukraine. All members of the unit are under contract of and serve as part of the National Guard of Ukraine.

More than half of the Battalion members are from eastern Ukraine and speak Russian, and some of its recruits come from the eastern cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. The regiment's first commander was far-right nationalist Andriy Biletsky, who led the neo-Nazi Social-National Assembly and Patriot of Ukraine. In its early days, Azov was the Ministry of Internal Affairs' special police company, led by Volodymyr Shpara, the leader of the Vasylkiv, Kiev, branch of Patriot of Ukraine and Right Sector. Under the "Azov" umbrella were also created the non-governmental organization "Azov Civil Corps" and the political party National Corps.

Azov has gained notoriety among its detractors due to allegations of torture and war crimes, as well as the neo-Nazi sympathies of some of its members.


...
Wikipedia

...