By Susanne Witt-Stahl, (originally in Junge Welt, Berlin, 15 July 2024). Translated by Helmut-Harry Loewen.
The propaganda machine of the Azov movement presents war heroes you can touch. On 21 July, it is launching a European tour with members of its 3rd Separate Assault Brigade combat unit in the Ukrainian army. The unit, which is commanded by Andrii Biletskyi, one of the most influential neo-Nazi leaders in Ukraine, has initially planned appearances in Warsaw and Wrocław, and later in Prague, Vilnius, Rotterdam and Brussels.
Since Ukrainian fascist gangs have been acting as NATO's brothers in arms in the proxy war against Russia, the categorical imperative "Never again!" only applies here in Germany for a limited time until the next time. And so events by the Azov assault brigade have also been announced for 25 and 26 July in Germany: In Berlin, the "most epic stories from the front" garnished with "soldier humour" will be offered for 20 euros, in Hamburg for 15 euros; the proceeds will go to Azov. "Come and meet the real fighters of the brigade who were in the battles in Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Kharkiv," reads the announcement, which is distributed on social media channels. "Uncensored, they'll tell all about their service."
It is doubtful that this also applies to ugly truths that the media in Germany and other NATO countries have gone to great lengths to conceal, trivialise or deny since 2022: To this day, the 3rd Assault Brigade proudly portrays itself as the historical heir to the Bandera wing of the fascist Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its armed wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which was once one of the most willing helpers in the war of extermination against the Soviet Union and in the Holocaust. Their admiration for Hitler's elite warriors is also steadfast: various symbols of the 3rd Assault Brigade are modelled on the insignia of the Waffen-SS, one is even based on the troop number plate of the 36th Waffengrenadier Division Dirlewanger.
According to the Azov brigade, the purpose of the European tour is to "meet fans abroad." But it is clear from the announcement that their mission goes beyond acquiring money and the already advanced branding of Azov - with its own film production companies, fashion labels, publishing houses and recently even a Netflix series - for the cultural industry market in the West. "We know that you miss your homeland," is the nod in the direction of the Ukrainian men living here. "You can join our ranks." Those who don't want to get involved in heroic deaths in eastern Ukraine should at least do alternative service abroad: "You can set up local initiatives," is the call from Azov to establish the movement in Germany. This has already gained a foothold in Magdeburg with an offshoot of Centuria (one of the most powerful neo-Nazi organisations in Ukraine, whose military arm is integrated into the 3rd Assault Brigade). The fact that Azov intends to expand is also indicated by the title of the tour: "Our people are everywhere."
In Hamburg, the ideal host for the Nazi spectacle in talk show format has been found in the form of Feine Ukraine: Association of German-Ukrainian Cooperation [Feine Ukraine. Verein der deutsch-ukrainischen Zusammenarbeit e.V.], which regularly initiates rallies in favour of more arms deliveries and the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine and thus, in effect, for the deployment of NATO troops against Russia. Last month, Feine Ukraine co-organised an event, including an autograph session, with Ukrainian medic Yuliia Payevska, an ex-member of the banderist Right Sector, at the prestigious Bucerius Law School. In Berlin, the Azov show is to take place on Thursday at the Hotel Continental - Art Space in Exile, Centre for Modern Art in Treptow, which is mainly used by Ukrainian artists who have fled and whose sponsor is Ogalala Kreuzberg e. V. "for the promotion of art and culture." An enquiry by the jW editorial team at Hotel Continental, which is also a cooperation partner of the Deutsches Theater, about its questionable cooperation with fascist hordes has so far gone unanswered.
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