There is a neo-Nazi military unit in Ukraine called the Azov Battalion. Although the existence of a military unit with this dangerous ideology has been around for a long time, the Kiev government and Western countries have kept their mouths shut. Facebook recently allowed its billions of users to praise the Azov Battalion.
However, the social media giant eventually banned discussion of the unit on its platform freely under its "Dangerous Individuals and Organizations" policy.
The policy shift was monitored by The Intercept, an independent media known for its investigative reports. The Azov Battalion was in the spotlight when Russia was invading Ukraine. It is this military unit that Moscow has been arguing about because it is considered the "architect of the genocide" of Russian-speaking eastern Ukrainians, especially in the Odesa region.
The Azov Battalion, which serves as the armed wing of Ukraine's broader white nationalist Azov movement, started out as a volunteer anti-Russian militia before formally joining the Ukrainian National Guard in 2014.
The regiment is known for its far-right ultranationalism and pervasive neo-Nazi ideology among its members.
Although in recent years it has played down neo-Nazi sympathies, the group's affinity is not subtle. In fact, Azov soldiers marched and trained in uniforms bearing the icon of the Third Reich. His leadership is also reported to have approached American "alt-right" and neo-Nazi elements.
In 2010, the first commander of the Azov Battalion who is also a former member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Andriy Biletsky, stated that the national goals of Ukraine were; “To lead the white race of the world in the final crusade against the Semitic-led Untermenschen [subhumans].”
While Russian troops reportedly moved swiftly to attack targets across Ukraine, Facebook's approach of moderation was harshly criticized for allowing its platform to be where the Azov Battalion, a dangerous group, existed.
According to internal policy materials reviewed by The Intercept; "Facebook will allow praise from the Azov Battalion when it explicitly and exclusively praises their role in defending Ukraine or their role as part of the Ukrainian National Guard."
Examples of internally published speeches that Facebook now considers acceptable include “Azov movement volunteers are true heroes, they are much needed support for our national guard”.
"We are under attack. Azov has bravely defended our city for the past 6 hours," another praised the group.
"I think Azov played a patriotic role during this crisis," wrote another Facebook user. On November 12, 2014, the Azov Battalion was incorporated into the Ukrainian National Guard, and since then all its members are contract soldiers serving for the Ukrainian National Guard.
In 2014, the regiment rose to prominence following allegations of torture and war crimes as well as sympathy for the neo-Nazi movement and the regiment's use of symbols, as seen in their logo featuring the Wolfsangel, one of the symbols used by the 2nd Division's Regiment. Panzer SS Das Reich.
A representative of the Azov Battalion said that the symbol stands for the slogan "Ідея ації" (Ukrainian for "National Idea"). The representative denies any connection to Nazism.
In 2018, a bill passed by the United States Congress decided to block military aid to the Azov Battalion on the grounds of its white supremacist ideology.
Surprisingly, in 2015, a similar ban on aid to the group was overturned by the US Congress.