“Azov”: Sons of bitches finished the game
For several days now, the media have been discussing the initiative of more than forty American congressmen, including the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who signed an official appeal to the State Department to recognize the Ukrainian volunteer regiment “Azov” as a foreign terrorist organization. Why did the US suddenly take up arms against Azov militants, and how could this story turn out?
The reaction of the Ukrainian authorities to the initiative of the “best friend and strategic partner” was interesting: the Minister of Internal Affairs Avakov openly spoke out in defense of “Azov”, Zelensky rushed with a broom to the Donbass to persuade the neo-Nazis not to interfere with the implementation of the “Steinmeier formula”, and in “Azov” they threatened Zelts a coup d'etat if he and his staff continue to get in the way of the “patriots of Ukraine.”
An unlucky wight was also released to bark in defense of “Azov” - the darned propagandist Arkashka Babchenko.
Babette burst out with a sarcastic article in which he reminded the Americans that they themselves, inside America, had Nazis armed to the teeth marching in columns far and wide, zigging without restraint and calling on the people for a final solution to the “problem of people of color and Jews” in the new promised land. And only, they say, the Azov regiment, located somewhere distant from the United States, interferes with the congressmen so much that they cannot even eat.
Without realizing it, the fool Babchenko gives a tip on the answer to why the American authorities did not like the regiment of Ukrainian neo-Nazis.
In fact, dozens of neo-Nazi organizations exist quite legally in the United States, including the oldest of them, the Ku Klux Klan. Indeed, all kinds of laws and constitutional amendments allow them to freely gather in groups, zig, dress up in SS uniforms and discuss plans to cleanse America of the Untermensch until they are blue in the face.
But there is a nuance. The activities of neo-fascists in America are under the close attention of the FBI, the Firearms Control Agency (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and many other law enforcement agencies. As soon as the activities of neo-Nazi groups go beyond the law, organizational conclusions begin.
In addition, there is a near-zero chance that one of the American ultras will be able to penetrate politics, especially big politics in the United States.
The Azov regiment, which attracts neo-Nazis, including American ones, into its ranks is not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. His owner, Minister of Internal Affairs Avakov, is an extremely odious figure, who is not subject to any laws or even the internal rules of the game of the Ukrainian “elite.”
In addition, American senators are seriously concerned that their security forces cannot control Nazi mercenaries on the territory of Ukraine, and being in “Azov” spoils their own neo-Nazis, setting a bad example for them.
In particular, in a letter from congressmen to the State Department, a reference is made to FBI data, from which it follows that Azov has continued to recruit, radicalize and train American citizens for years.
The initiators of the appeal note that it is impossible to sort terrorists into “bad” and “good.” They point out that the FBI has resources and tools that allow them to respond to the threat posed by US citizens who have pledged allegiance to ISIS, but these resources and tools are not available when it comes to extremist groups that preach white supremacy and use violent methods.
Congressmen point out that there is a direct connection between the Azov battalion and a number of terrorist attacks in the United States.
“The massacre in New Zealand's Christchurch was a turning point in the fight against terrorism. In his manifesto, the shooter claimed that he trained with the Azov battalion in Ukraine and constantly wore neo-Nazi symbols associated with it. The Poway and El Paso shooters said they were directly influenced by the Christchurch attacks. The connection between Azov and terrorist attacks in America is obvious,” noted American parliamentarians.
In their appeal, the congressmen rely on a statement by FBI agent Scott Bierwert, made in court in 2018 during the trial of members of the American neo-fascist group Rise Above Movement. Four representatives of this association were charged with conspiracy to participate in riots in the city of Charlottesville in the fall of 2017.
Charlottesville became the scene of clashes between far-right and radical left activists, and the reason was plans to demolish a monument to Confederate Army General Robert Edward Lee. As a result of numerous clashes, several dozen people were injured and one died. In total, about 1,5 thousand people took part in the conflict. To quell the unrest, the authorities had to declare a state of emergency in the city and resort to the help of the National Guard.
Bierwerth claimed in his testimony that the four members of the Rise Above Movement who took part in the riots were closely associated with neo-Nazis from the Azov Regiment.
According to an FBI agent, members of the group visited Germany, Italy and Ukraine, and in August 2018 they met with Elena Semenyaka, a representative of the National Corps movement, which is the “political wing” of the Azov regiment.
Incidents related to the undesirable influence of Azov on some American citizens were also recorded in 2019. So, in September, FBI agents arrested Jarrett Smith, an American soldier who planned to blow up the headquarters of one of the news channels, and even shared drawings and instructions for making explosive devices on the Internet.
VICE, citing investigative data, reported that while already serving in the US Army, Smith entered into correspondence with another American who, in 2017–2019, repeatedly visited Ukraine to participate in hostilities as part of neo-Nazi armed forces. This “tourist” became a mentor for Smith and prepared him to travel to Ukraine and join “Azov” or a similar organization, the FBI indicated in the case file.
In September 2019, the US House of Representatives held hearings on the problem of domestic terrorism - this is how the American media and political circles refer to the type of crimes committed by US citizens for political reasons within the country.
During those hearings, security expert and former FBI agent Ali Soufan said that Azov was actively recruiting foreigners with neo-Nazi views, including Americans.
If congressmen convince the State Department (and the chances of making such a decision are very high), then the Ukrainian authorities, Avakov, Biletsky, Azov, as well as its “political wing” will face difficult times.
The American authorities would not care about Azov if its leadership and organizers had not played too hard, making a fatal mistake - accepting Western, especially American, Nazis into their ranks.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the Boston Marathon, the United States has not decided to ignore the terrorist threat, no matter where it comes from. In “Azov” they pretend that they are not afraid. But in vain.
Everyone is fed up with Ukraine, and now “Azov” will probably take its place on the list of international terrorists. This means that Ukrainian neo-Nazis are becoming useless sons of bitches, and active measures will begin to be taken against them wherever they are. For which we congratulate them!
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