page_title: Azov Battalion
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Azov Battalion / History
caption_attribution_description: English: A soldier of the Azov Battalion mans a heavy machine gun on a patrol near Mariupol. Svenska: Soldat från Azovbataljonen med tung kulspruta på patrull utanför Mariupol.
context_page_description: The Special Operations Detachment "Azov", often known as Azov Battalion, Azov Regiment, or Azov Detachment, is a Ukrainian National Guard regiment, 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 formed as a volunteer militia on 5 May 2014 during the 2014 Ukrainian crisis, on 12 November 2014, Azov was incorporated into the National Guard of Ukraine. All regiment members were contract soldiers serving in the National Guard of Ukraine.
  In 2014, the regiment gained notoriety after allegations emerged of torture and war crimes, as well as neo-Nazi sympathies and usage of associated symbols by the regiment itself, as seen in their logo featuring the Wolfsangel, one of the original symbols used by the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. Representatives of the Azov Battalion claim that the symbol is an abbreviation for the slogan Ідея Нації and deny connection with Nazism. In 2014, a spokesman for the regiment claimed around 10–20% of the unit were neo-Nazis. In 2018, a provision in an appropriations bill passed by the U.S.
context_section_description: The Azov Battalion has its roots in a group of Ultras of FC Metalist Kharkiv named "Sect 82" (1982 is the year of the founding of the group). "Sect 82" was (at least until September 2013) allied with FC Spartak Moscow Ultras. Late February 2014, during the 2014 Ukrainian crisis when a separatist movement was active in Kharkiv, "Sect 82" occupied the Kharkiv Oblast regional administration building in Kharkiv and served as a local "self-defense"-force. Soon, on the basis of "Sect 82" there was formed a volunteer militia called "Eastern Corps".
  On 13 April 2014 Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov issued a decree authorizing creating new paramilitary forces from civilians up to 12,000. The Azov Battalion (using "Eastern Corps" as its backbone) was formed on 5 May 2014 in Berdiansk by a white nationalist. Many members of Patriot of Ukraine joined the battalion. Among the early patrons of the battalion were a member of the Verkhovna Rada Oleh Lyashko, and an ultra-nationalist Dmytro Korchynsky and businessman Serhiy Taruta and Avakov. The battalion then received training near Kiev by instructors with experience in the Georgian Armed Forces. The battalion started in Mariupol where it was involved in combat, and was briefly relocated to Berdiansk.
  On 10 June, the battalion dismissed deputy commander Yaroslav Honchar and distanced themselves from him after Honchar made criticizing statements about looting and debauchery in Azov battalion. Igor Mosiychuk became deputy commander.
  In June 2014, Anton Herashchenko (an advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs) said that it was planned that the Azov battalion would have a strength of 400 people, and the salary for volunteers would be 4,300 hryvnia ($360) per month. (Contract soldiers were paid 1,505 hryvnia per month.)
  On 11 August, Azov battalion, backed by Ukrainian paratroopers, captured Marinka from pro-Russian rebels and entered the suburbs of Donetsk clashing with Donetsk People's Republic fighters.
  In early September 2014, the Azov battalion was engaged in the Second Battle of Mariupol. Regarding the ceasefire agreed on 5 September, Biletskiy stated "If it was a tactical move there is nothing wrong with it ... if it's an attempt to reach an agreement concerning Ukrainian soil with separatists then obviously it's a betrayal."
  In September 2014, the Azov battalion was expanded from a battalion to a regiment and enrolled into the National Guard of Ukraine. At about this time it started receiving increased supplies of heavy arms. The Azov battalion received funding from the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and other sources (believed to be Ukrainian oligarchs). So whilst its volunteers were officially paid 6,000 hryvnia ($316) per month, they really received around 10,000 hryvnia ($526) per month. The national socialist "Patriot of Ukraine" websites were shut down or put under restricted access.
  On 14 October, Azov Battalion servicemen took part in a march to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in Kiev organised by the Right Sector.
  In the 26 October 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election Biletsky, the battalion's commander, won a constituency seat (as an independent candidate) in Kiev's Obolon Raion (Biletsky hails from Kharkiv) in the Ukrainian parliament. In his constituency Biletsky won with 33.75% of the votes; runner up Vadym Stoylar followed with 17.17%. In parliament Biletsky did not join any faction. Member of the battalion Oleh Petrenko is also an MP for Petro Poroshenko Bloc after winning a constituency seat in Cherkasy in the same election. In his constituency Petrenko won with 41.15% of the votes; runner up Valentyna Zhukovska followed with 23.65%.
  On 31 October 2014, deputy commander of the Azov Battalion Vadym Troyan was appointed head of Kiev Oblast (province) police (this police force has no jurisdiction over the city of Kiev).
  On 11 November 2014 the Azov Battalion was officially incorporated into the National Guard of Ukraine.
  As of late March 2015, despite a second ceasefire agreement (Minsk II), the Azov Battalio
caption: A soldier of the Azov Battalion with a heavy machine gun.
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