One of Vladimir Putin’s objectives in the Russian incursion into Ukraine was to “denazify Ukraine.” With the breakdown in the agreement to allow a humanitarian corridor out of Mariupol, this task will be much harder and the terrorist toll much higher. Once Russia has succeeded however, the world will be a better place for it.
Mariupol is a stronghold for the Azov battalion, a Nazi force integrated recently into the Ukrainian army. Its strength is estimated at 5000 men. Some consider that this number, small relative to the total Ukrainian armed forces, means that their influence is correspondingly small.
But this is to misunderstand the reasoning behind the tactics used by the Azov battalion and other Nazi-type forces in the Ukrainian army. They know that they do not need large numbers to cause massive mayhem and death.
Watch Yevhen Karas of the neo-Nazi C14 battalion outline the methodology in a public address:
Max Blumenthal at the Grayzone has more background on the neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine, as well as the weakness of Zelensky in his attempts to control them.
Tass states today:
MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. Nationalist forces did not allow any civilians leave Mariupol and Volnovakha during the period of ceasefire on Saturday, so the Russian armed forces resumed their offensive, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Saturday.
“Not a single civilian was able to exit Mariupol and Volnovakha via the declared security corridors. Nationalist groups use the population of those cities as a human shield. Nationalist battalions used the ceasefire period for regrouping their forces and reinforcing their positions. Due to the Ukrainian side’s reluctance to somehow influence the nationalists or extend the ceasefire, the offensive resumed from 18:00 Moscow time,” Konashenkov said.
This is exactly what the Nazi groups want, more innocent suffering as it is more propaganda for their cause. Western media will likely blame the change on Russia, which makes no sense. Its aim has been to keep the country’s infrastructure and its civilian population intact and unharmed.
These groups have had a wider impact. The criminal shooter at the mosque massacres in Christchurch in 2019 wore a ne0-Nazi symbol used in the Azov battalion badge on his jacket. Again an example of terrorist thinking about how maximum damage can be caused in this case by a single person.
And we should not forget this UN resolution from 16 December 2021:
By a recorded vote of 130 in favour to 2 against (Ukraine, United States), with 49 abstentions, the Assembly then adopted draft resolution I, ‘Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance’.”
Former diplomat Craig Murray gives his view that the “The Ukrainian vote against the U.N. resolution against Nazism was motivated by sympathy for the ideology of historic, genocidal active Nazis. It is as simple as that.” I should note that Craig Murray is of the view that the Russian invasion into Ukraine is a breach of international law, and he is right in that.
In my opinion if it was the right thing to do to fight against German Nazism in 1939 it can be argued that there is some justification for Russia to fight against Ukrainian Nazism that has been killing their compatriots at their borders.
We also need to remember that it is Russia that has suffered grievously from Nazi ideology – Slavs were untermenschen as much as Jews. In my opinion, Western condemnation at Russia’s territorial incursion should be balanced with equal condemnation of Nazi barbarity.
As for us here – watch out for sanctions blow-back.
*Badge image is of Donbass group
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