Brandenburg Gate lit up with the Ukrainian flag -- public domain image
By Susann Witt-Stahl, junge Welt, February 28, 2025. Translation by Helmut-Harry Loewen*
Relevant facts about last week's visit to Berlin and Brandenburg by representatives of the international battalion of the 12th Special Brigade Azov of the Ukrainian National Guard [1] continue to be concealed. Photos that have now emerged suggest that around ten people were sent, including members of other Azov battalions. The trip, which was declared a “business trip,” was organized by the Azov One Foundation, the neo-Nazi brigade's fundraising unit, and the International Alliance for Human Resources Readiness (IAHRR). Although the NGO has been registered in Kiev since July 2024, at least its chairperson is based in Munich. Under the slogan “Everything for the front — Everything for Ukraine!”, she and her fellow campaigners have launched initiatives from that city to support Azov and other units. However, to date no notable projects or other activities by IAHRR have been made public, an indication that the NGO could be a front structure for Azov in Germany.
The appearance of the delegation of the battalion, which is currently being set up, and other Azov warriors in Berlin is said to have taken place as part of a “charity and information forum.” The purpose was to inform “representatives of the German defence sector about Azov's role in countering Russian aggression” and to raise funds for the new battalion. Where the event took place and who from the German side participated has not yet been disclosed.
The Azov delegation was led by the commander of the international battalion, Yuri Chekh, and also included João Galveias from Portugal, a former instructor at the European Security Academy. The private military company operates the largest “security” training centre in Europe in Poland and is based in Wrocław, which was also the second stop on the Azov trip.
In the meantime, the German member of Azov — introduced in the BILD newspaper’s video report as “Peter R." — has also been identified. His name is Peter Talos and his call sign is “Schnitzel.” In civilian life, this former Bundeswehr soldier from Riesa [near Dresden] was a waiter. According to his own statements, he went to Ukraine after the start of the Russian invasion and joined Azov in 2023. Talos insists in PR interviews that the troop is nothing more than an elite combat unit without a political mission, a claim that is refuted by the fact that, according to Azov channels, its members receive ideological training. When “Schnitzel” is not playing the “Freedom Fighter” for European values, he dreams about turning the objects of his hatred into ground meat. “Sometimes I wish we could do the same with the foreheads of Z and Russki fanboys outside Russia,” Talos wrote on his X channel, alluding to the blood orgies in the Tarantino film “Inglourious Basterds”.
Such violent fantasies and the fact that the Azov fighters appeared in field uniform during their visit — at least some of them with the Nazi Wolfsangel badge, as pictures show — should have alerted the security authorities. But the reactions to a jW questionnaire demonstrate their utter disinterest. The Federal Ministry of the Interior allegedly does not even have any information on whether the stay took place with the government's knowledge. A spokeswoman referred to the responsibility of the federal states. “The state government is or was not aware of the visit you mentioned,” was the terse statement from Brandenburg. The most informative statement came from the Berlin Senate Department of the Interior: silence.
[1] See: “Azov and the German military. In search of “supporters”: offshoot of the fascist Azov brigade in Germany.”: Azov and the German military. In search of “supporters”: offshoot of the fascist Azov brigade abroad in Germany.
* Translation of the German article: “Rufzeichen »Schnitzel«. Ausweichen und schweigen: Fragen zum Gastspiel eines Ablegers der faschistischen »Asow«-Brigade in Deutschland bleiben unbeantwortet.” Von Susann Witt-Stahl, junge Welt, 28. Februar 2025. The translator has omitted the first three words of the title, which translate as “Call sign: Schnitzel,” which is noted in the penultimate paragraph.
Below the translator has added three images taken from the Azov One Foundation. Note the Azov One VISA credit card:
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