MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Ukrainian military was circulating a brochure among new recruits in which it glorified the militants of Ukraine’s ultranationalist Azov battalion (designated terrorist and banned in Russia), who fired at civilians but ended up surrendering to Russian forces in Mariupol in the spring of 2022, Sputnik has learned from a copy.
The brochure, dated 2022-2023 and retrieved from an eliminated Ukrainian fighter, was signed by former Chief of General Staff Serhiy Shaptala. Its 290-hour curriculum included about 70 hours of tactical training, 60 hours of firing training, 11 hours of psychological training and seven hours of so-called national-patriotic training.
Do not see any Nazis: Azov* fighter takes selfies at Auschwitz, mocking Hitler’s victims
Western countries’ ability to turn a blind eye to explicitly pro-Nazi sentiments of elements of Ukraine’s military seems to know no bounds. Last month, an Azov fighter visited Auschwitz,… pic.twitter.com/xBy4WiTaYl
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) July 17, 2024
The Russian Defense Ministry’s estimate is that more than 2,400 fighters from the Azov and other Ukrainian battalions surrendered since May 16 after about a month-long blockade at the plant.
