azloknatsouth

This article covers the latest series of maritime drone attacks, namely a serious attack off Novorossiysk, as well as on a tanker. In light of these attack, I will look at what it means for the Russian Navy and also outline other related issues.

EDIT: 5 August: Once more, I have to edit an article, not days afterwards this time, but the very next day. 

1. Sitrep

The attacks by Ukraine on the Russian Navy in the Black Sea have increased significiantly in the last couple of weeks.  Now that the Russian Navy is escorting Russian-flagged commercial ships, the Ukrainian side has started to attack the escorting patrol ships, some distance southwest of Sevastopol. 

 On August 1st, three Ukrainian USV drones attempted to target the patrol ships, 'Sergey Kotov' and the 'Vasily Bykov', on escort duties for Russian-flagged ships, some 340 km SW of Sevastopol. No long afterwards, one ship, the 'Sparta IV', a frequent and longstanding "Syrian Express" cargo ship, used by the Russian MoD, had passed through the Bosphorus, (tweet link). Edit: According to Rybar, it wasn't the 'Sparta IV', but the tanker 'Sig'.  It could have been both, since two attacks were reported.

Today, another report of an attack, this time, once more, very early in the morning, several naval drones were destroyed in Novorossiysk bay area.  Of course, as it is becoming the norm, since the naval attack was just one element.  Parts of Crimea was also targetted by aerial drones. Suffice to say that Russian Air Defense systems were activate in multiple areas of Crimea, and it is was reported that all incoming objects were shot down.

azloknatsouth

The Black Sea region 

azloknatsouth

Part 1 — rolling updates

14th Feb

Part 2

13th February Overview of flights to date of medical, rescue and humanitarian help airlift to Syria:

13th February — Update on aid flights to Syria

Logging flights from social media and SANA reports, so some other flights might have been missed in the total. 

Not included in the visuals are the numerous land convoys from Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, of aid, fuel, machinery, medical equipment and food.  There have been dozens of these in the last week. 

One thing that has been consistent is the regular flights from the UAE, not all have been logged into the data gathered, but they have literally provided an air bridge to Syria (https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-launches-humanitarian-airbridge-to-transport-emergency-aid-to-victims-of-the-turkey-syria-earthquake/)

Plane loads of needed consignments of blankets, tents, shelter kits, lighting, water supply, emergency food ration, clothing, as well as vitally needed medical, trauma and emergency health kits. 

Bear this mind when you consider some of the reports on the complaints by Turkish volunteers on the inappropriate content of some of the so-called donated aid the public, from the US and Azerbaijan, basically sending spoilt food items and items from thrift shops such as evening wear. 

Part 3

Original status of flights into Syria bringing in medical, rescue teams and relief aid

11th February  — Update

Washington has given a limited exemption to the sanctions imposed on Syria for a total of 180 days.  Let's see if this has an effect on how direct aid will get to the Syrian people in the worst affected government-controlled areas, as well those under terrorist/ Turkish control and the SDF. 

8th February 2023 

The sheer mind-boggling convulations of the so called "international community of values" is telling, they make a contortionist look absolutey stiff as a wooden plank.

The situation so far.

Updates, omissions will be done at a later stage. 

azloknatsouth

Infographics — to view and share and article summarising the nexus of ultranationalists and far-right ideology in Ukrainian military.

Latest iteration of an overview of ultranationalists, military units in Ukraine, currently active, linked to Bandera UPA OUN ideology of Ukrainian nationalism, Azov units, (now of Ukrainian Ground forces, as military intelligence and special operations units).

Outline of the International Legion, notably the Georgian Legion, lately in the spotlight in some Western MSM for killings, looting, banditry, bad leadership and rogue activities  (Vice, Le Figaro, Washington Examiner, National Post). 

A spate of atrocious killings, torture of Russian POWs were recorded in March, April,  (photos, testimonies and videos), so I've included some of the units that carried out these atrocities.

It is really a hotchpotch of ghastly Bandera UPA OUN glorifiers — devotees, NATO member (ex)military safari scammers, nationalist units based on NATO/ Washington regime change disciples. Generally a motley group of rabidly anti-Russians factions, some of which are just little more than a Ukrainian PR projects in the endless whining  quest for money and weapons.

BACKGROUND: 2014-2022 

Creation of volunteer 'punisher' units, a combination of militias/paramilitary forces in order to support the official government forces in carrying out the designated "Anti-Terrorist Operation" ATO, in Donbass. Around 24 units were initially created, subsequently 8 were disbanded, where members went to other units, (St Marys) or went to jail for atrocities, (Tornado). Another 14 were reformed, (merged into other units or as new units). 

37 of these were integrated into the Ukrainian military and National Guard.

Regarding the types of military Units from 2015 to 2022:

• "Special Purpose Police Patrol Battalion", BPSMOP
• Ukrainian ground forces (AFU)
• National Guard 
• Paramilitary 

One of the most notorious, Azov Battalion was created in May 2014, as a punisher unit, becoming a BPSMOP, then integrated into the National Guard and now elements are part of the Ukrainian Special Forces, (SSO). 

Another layer is the Territorial defence battalions, (32 or 46 such of these units) who continue to operate under the auspices of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Two of these gained notoriety, the 24th Territorial Defence Battalion, 'Aidar' and the 46th Separate Assault Battalion 'Donbas'.  Both of these units changed, Aidar becoming the 24th Air Assault Battalion, (AFU) and parts of 'Donbas' become a National Guard unit.  All of these 3 units were widely reported as having committed atrocities and carried out war crimes according to International organisations reports (OSCE, UN, Amnesty International amongst others).

Independent Units 2014-2022

Add into the mix a whole series of "independent formations", principally those belonging to Right Sector, (Praviy Sektor —  Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (DUK) Добровольчий український корпус  + Ukrainian Volunteer Army, (UDA) Українська добровольча армія). 

Below is an visual glimpse of the nature and ideology of a Right Sector unit, 'Wolves', (now formally part of Ukrainian SSO): 

Foreign nationalist units linked to Right Sector  (2014-2022)

Foreign units are those are vehemently opposed to their national governments or authorities. Usually advocate for Western-endorsed opposition leaders or regime change. 

• Chechen — Dzhokhar Dudayev and Sheikh Mansour battalions.
• Crimean Tartar - Noman Chelebidzhikhan battalion and another unit.
• Georgian - Georgian National Legion
• Belarus — Tactical Group "Belarus" 
• Bratstvo 

Right Sector units include (in addition to the DUK and UDA units):

• Aerial reconnaissance —  Aerorozvidka (Аеророзвідка)
• Black Fog ("Чорний туман")
• Wolf (Вольф)
• Volyn (Волинь)
• Hospitallers

Other foreign units

• Kalinosvky battalion (Belarus) 
• 
  

Some of the foreign units also have their roots in Neo-nazism, (e.g. Belarus — White Legion). The Belarus units also have links with Azov, (since some members previously served in Azov).

After February 2022

1. The International Legion was created in March, as a Territorial Defence Unit (TDF). 
2. Right Sector units become integrated into the AFU in April.
3. Foreign units linked to Right Sector continue to operate, some as paramilitary and others as part of the International Legion.
4. Several Right Sector units have become SSO units, officially integrated into the military (AFU or military intelligence).
5. New foreign units have been created under the International Legion.
6. Far-right organisations continue to operate their units or contribute members to specific units, (i.e.OUN, 'Carpathian Sich').
7. Various US-based Private Military Companies (PMC) operate in Ukraine.

Azov

After the surrender and destruction of the main Azov unit in Mariupol,  other units continued to exist, along with an expansion of other Azov affiliated units. Some of these are part of the TDF and others are special forces units, (SSO), fully integrated in the AFU.  

• Iron Hundred,
• Azov Prykarpattia, 
• Navoz,
• Spartans, 
• Azov Poltava,
• Azov Kyiv, 
• Azov Dnipro,
• Azov Kharkiv 

Spin-offs with ex-Azov members include:

•  Kraken Special Detachment, (special forces — military Intelligence GUR)

 Units with far-right roots

• Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists  (OUN) *battalion  (UPA OUN legacy) 
• Ukrainian Freikorps (far-right)
• Svoboda (National Guard battalion)
• Karpatska Sich  (C-14  linked + Svoboda origin)  + spin offs  300 company +  Britaniya III
• Sokil (youth wing of the Svoboda party)
• Tradition & Order (far-right)
• Boatsman Boys unit (probable links to Azov, with ex-Azov members)
• Northern Capital Boys (far-right)

New foreign units

Newly created units occasionally pop up on social media and in the press.  Some of these units are suspected to be part of an PR effort to keep the conflict in the public eye.  Other units seemingly have been reorganised and rebranded.

New International Legion units: 

• Revanche Battalion^, (with a Polish detachment), (with neo-nazi Tradition & Order links)
• Canadian-Ukrainian Brigade; 
• Freedom of Russia Legion, (Russian 'defectors' + regime change proponents ‘opposition’)
• Omega #  (originally US SOF group, now part of SSO?)
• Legionnaires Special Service Group (LSSG), part of SSO?
• Vovkodav (with Misanthropic Division links)
• Russian Volunteer Corps
• Pahonia (Belarus)

Existing units now under the umbrella of the International Legion:

• Kastus Kalinovsky* Battalion (Belarus, White Legion neo-nazi links)
• Sheikh Mansur Dzhokhar* + Dudayev* Battalions, (Chechens) 
• Crimea Battalion*, (Crimean Tatars)
• Georgian National Legion*, (Georgians, US, U.K & other foreign citizens)

Independent units:

• Norman Brigade (Canadian, U.K. military & others)
• The Mozart Group

U.S.A PMCs

• Academi
• Blackwater Ukraine

Existing units that have expanded to include foreigners: 

• Bratstvo  (UK, USA + Belarus fighters)

NOTES: A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of over 300 people but there are units with over 1000 members.  

The list is long and certainly not exhaustive.

Summary 

The bottom line is that ultra nationalists, (Ukrainian and foreign) continue to provide a fighting force, some of which pack a punch well above their weight.  One such case is Azov and Right Sector units, since they are part of Special Forces.  

In a number of instances, Right-Sector units have formally become part of the Special Forces, (SSO),  the very same special forces which had a unit 'green lighted' as operational by NATO and the US in 2019. The unit was "the first-ever non-NATO unit to pass" NATO certification, which meant it had become "eligible to deploy and operate under the umbrella of NATO’s Response Force, the NRF".  The same Special Forces that have received "Gladio stay-behind" training in the US, since 2015.

Far-right and ultranationalist units are far more organised that Western media, pundits and commentors would like to even acknowledge, on a wider scale.  It isn't a case that there are just "a handful' of Neo-nazis or far-right extremists in the Ukrainian military.  Nazi symbology, (insignia, patches, graffiti, flags), is quite prevalent in the Ukrainian military and Right Sector insignia and flags are almost de rigeur in many units.  Contrary to Western MSM and think tanks, the role of ultranationalists isn't exaggerated as they play an active role throughout the Ukrainian military,  either as units or individual members. 

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Unspeakable crimes against humanity.  Western corporate MSM, think tank experts and elites have totally ignored the atrocities and human rights abuses that have taking place since 2014.  Yet, several international organisations and NGO's have in the past, reported on a long list of crimes committed by those who happen to also glorify and revere WWII UPA — OUN death squads, who themselves carried out numerous heinous massacres of civilians.  

As the saying goes don't judge a book by its cover.   Yet this is what the West corporate MSM would like you to do, instead of reading the table of contents or even the chapters inside.  A book about Post-Maidan Ukraine, the radicalisation of society, about a vicious war being waged without rules.  

Washington, Brussels, London, Paris and others are well aware of a long list of  human rights abuses and atrocities committed by Ukrainian officials, military and paramilitary personnel since 2014.  Civilians summarily shot, systematic tortures and beatings, branding with swastikas, knife  and burn wounds, broken bones, head trauma and electrocutions.  

All of which now totally swept under the carpet.  You would be a fool to not notice the heap by this stage.  The Western MSM and think tanks regularly step aside this sordid heap in their eternal quest to demonise every aspect of Russia and Russian speakers.

Now taboo, even the likes of Newsweek were once able to point out some of the horrors inflicted on people in Ukraine largely at the hands of rabid ultra nationalists.  As recently as 2020, the U.S. State Department listed a long catalogue of deeply troubling abuses taking place in their cherished protectorate.  Of course, they got given a free pass on all vile activities. The list is long:

Significant human rights issues included: unlawful or arbitrary killing; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of detainees by law enforcement personnel; harsh and life-threatening conditions in prisons and detention centers; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; abuses in the Russia-led conflict in the Donbas, including physical abuse of civilians and members of armed groups held in detention facilities; serious restrictions on free expression, the press, and the internet, including violence, threats of violence, or unjustified arrests or prosecutions against journalists, censorship, and blocking of websites; refoulement of refugees; serious acts of corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for violence against women; violence or threats of violence motivated by anti- Semitism; crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting persons with disabilities, members of ethnic minority groups, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex persons; and the existence of the worst forms of child labor.

Part 2

The government generally failed to take adequate steps to prosecute or punish most officials who committed abuses, resulting in a climate of impunity. Human rights groups and the United Nations noted significant deficiencies in investigations into alleged human rights abuses committed by government security forces.

Now with the Russian military intervention[*], all of the total impunity, all of the abuses, all of the "unlawful or arbitrary killing; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of detainees by law enforcement personnel; harsh and life-threatening conditions in prisons and detention centers; arbitrary arrest or detention;" has simply vanished.  Now it is the Russian military who is the designated "bad guy" TM.

The litany of horrors continues. 

Another angle is presented:"The HRMMU raises awareness of national stakeholders, parties to the conflict and the international community about the human rights situation in Ukraine."   So far, they have "documented over 600 cases of torture and ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees" by 2022. That's just scratching the surface of a very deeply troubling situation in Ukraine, that has been taking place since 2014.  The OHCHR produced a report covering the period 2014-2021 on the widespread human right abuses in Ukraine.  

The absolutely horrendous increase in human rights abuses, atrocities and  severe humanitarian crisis that has unfolded since 24th of February, is really a catalyst in which  government approved Ukrainian ultra-nationalists groups, as the U.S. State Dept described it, operated in a "climate of impunity".  Now the Western corporate MSM and think tanks have whitewashed their crimes and we are asked to take every word from Kiev, with the upmost gravity and sincerity.   

President Zelensky added a twist to this narrative, when asked about the shooting  and torture of prisoners by Azov, on Fox News. His answer were remarkably telling in its brevity and : “They are what they are.”

Torture, ill-treatment of prisoners, arbitrary killings and atrocities are synonymous with Ukrainian ultra-nationalists.  It has been the case since Maidan in 2014 and was at the most intense during the 2014-2016 phase of the Donbass conflict.   What is taking place now is a mirror of the ghastly events that took place between 2014-2016, but in a intensified manner. 

Nothing unusual about the cruelty shown by Ukrainian nationalists, carefully cultivated and natured.  Endorsed cruelty, in the same vein as the Syrian "moderate rebels", ISIS, KLA, Bosnian jihadists and the Contras.  Another leaf taken straight out of the standard CIA 'psywar' operations and tactics: 

• to terrorise swathes of the population even those with the slightest support for Russia;
•  to pitilessly demonstrate a grotesque level of inhumanity;

There is a disproportionate number of videos available through open sources depicting gratuitous acts of torture, gruesome killings of civilians and Russian prisoners.  All of which uploaded by Ukrainian nationalists themselves, in what can only be described as a kind of intensely proud but vile acknowledgment of cruel acts. Every day, there is another batch of horrific images of torture and killings carried out by ultra nationalists.

A sample of cruelty

Russian prisoners shot in the backs, while lying face down on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs.  (Video)

Russian prisoner tortured, eye gouged out and killed. (Photo)

Russian prisoners shot in the legs, beaten, left to bleed out for a while.   An Ukrainian journalist went to the scene afterwards and found the charred remains of 3 people. (Videos)

Russian  pilot made prisoner threatened with castration. (Video)

Russian prisoners ordered to be castrated. (Interview on TV).

Russian prisoners with fingers missing, apparently cut off. (Photos)

Video of the body of a woman killed by "Azov" with a swastika burned on her stomach found in the basement of one of the Mariupol schools.

Video of a woman stripped naked, humiliated and her hair set on fire.

Cold brutal execution of a prisoner with his hands tied behind his back with the cries of "Glory to Ukraine".

The narrative: Good against evil

There are those who are working overdrive to justify these acts because the narrative they are pushing is that the Ukrainians are the good guys, the democratic country fighting an hostile invader, against a country that is evil and authoritarian.  It runs counter to this mindset, that the Ukrainian commit war crimes.  Yet,  Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Zelensky, argued that “international humanitarian laws or the laws of war don’t apply in this conflict".

The resemblance with ISIS cannot be overlooked, especially given what Arestovich said about ISIS in an interview, (video still above).  The extremely gruesome and gratuitous use of violence and torture to repress civilians has been a long standing practice  in post-204 Ukraine. Paradoxically, a Ukrainian high-level military social psychologist, Oleh Pokalchuk, stated in 2017, that in his opinion that "adherents of the 'Russian world' were no different to Islamic terrorists. He later said that a Moskal (derogatory word for Russian), had  "very little human likeness there."  Delusion and projection of a a crude viewpoint of Russia and communism,  lumped under the term ' katsap'.  They have utter vile contempt for anything Russian. 

The Bucha 'massacre"

The corporate MSM along Ukrainian authorities has published images and videos with dozens of corpses on the streets,  accusing the Russian army of  killing civilians. And here is the mayor of Bucha Anatoly Fedoruk reporting about  a "complete Buch liberation" on the 31st March, as reported in the Ukrainian press on the 1st April. 

Discrepancies in the massacre is circulated on social media, with the allegations of a staged massacre being made, an event that took place several days after the Mayor of Bucha was on video saying it has been liberated, which the timing of the revelations itself doesn't make sense.  This was also stated in the Kyiv Independent on the 1st of April:

“March 31 will go down in the history of our town,” said Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk. He thanked Ukraine’s Armed Forces for liberating the city from Russian troops. The city was occupied by Russia since Feb. 27.

All Russian forces had departed Kyiv Oblast by the 2nd of April, as reported on pro-Ukrainian OSINT social media sites.

Nearly all of the photos imply a massacre of civilians, which according to some deliberately do not tell the whole story.  Most corpses are turned on their stomach or their faces are covered with hoods.  Others are only half clothed, at a time when the weather is cold and wet. In one instance, a clean white cloth is just tied on one wrist with dirty hands.  Another victim is on the ground face down with a nearby bottle of beer.  Another body by the side of road reportedly moved his arm in a TV report.

This coming from Ukrainian nationalists who have no compunction in killing their own for being Russian collaborators, saboteurs or spies, (as was the case of Denis   Kireev, a high ranking government official).  This coming from people who carried out a state sanctioned act of terror against pro-Russian Ukrainians in 2014, notably, killing of 48+ civilians in Odessa, many burnt alive, strangled or beaten to death.  No action taken against the perpetrators.  Basically baying for the blood of 'Moskals', 'Katsaps', 'Colorado beetles', endorsed and encouraged at the highest levels since 2014.  In essence, people who have absolutely no qualms about killing 'traitors' and presenting as having been massacred by the Russians.

Ukraine certainly will have been carrying sweeps in towns and villages where the Russian army had been since 24th February to hunt down spies, officials and locals who collaborated or perceived to have collaborated with the Russian army. As categorically stated in Ukrainian on the 2nd April:

Special forces have begun a clearing operation in the city of Bucha in the Kyiv region, which has been liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The city is being cleared from saboteurs and accomplices of Russian forces.

LB.ua

Guess who was among the troops in Bucha, "Ukrainian soldiers from the Azov battalion walked through the remnants of a Russian military convoy in the recently liberated town of Bucha." New York Times, 2nd April 2022

Knowing the vindictiveness and arbitrary cruelty of ultranationalists, the ruthlessness of the SBU,  there will be retributions, summary executions of anyone deemed as spies and collaborators.   It is worthy to note that many bodies had a clean white cloth tied to their arms or wrists.  White is used by the Russian forces and  it is likely that this may be a way for Ukrainians to identify and take action against collaborators. As mentioned earlier,  killings can be then framed as being Russian.  

The use of a massacre, where elements have been reported as being staged, that became a defining point in a conflict and lead to Western intervention:

Kosovo — Račak massacre

Bosnia — Srebrenica  massacre

Libya — Viagra and mass rapes

Syria — Douma — chemical weapons.

Just one video footage was  produced in Douma, in Syria of an attack where the injured were crisis actors.  This was a sufficient excuse to subsequently launch just over a hundred missiles by the USA, UK and France. 

All of the events prompted a Western intervention or the intensification of a military campaign.  The adage of the West is that if a country commits a genocide they are responsible for everything that happens to the country in the process. The alleged decision of committing a genocide alone enables NATO or the U.S. to forfeit sovereignty and subsequently get heavily bombed. Thus, these events were important elements of an intense information operation being waged as part of the conflict.  

As we are currently seeing in Ukraine, Western MSM is declaring who is responsible for atrocities before any forensic investigation has even been  done.  Up to now, the same MSM and experts were highly skeptical and demanded more proof regarding the shooting and torture videos of Russian POWs.  

Right on cue, an event that will trigger another wave of Western MSM-driven outrage, (it has started).  An incident that crystallises the "Good v evil" narrative further. The same format is now being applied and it is called 'Bucha'. 

Ukraine, the head of the Kiev military administration, Nikolay Zhirnov:  We are continuing to identify and eliminate groups of collaborators with Russian intelligence services in Kiev and in the region. " 05 April 2022.

The extreme brutality of Kiev has gone unnoticed for 8 years and this largely continues, despite a surge in heinous crimes filmed and photographed.  While at the same time, certain events designated as "war crimes" are specifically cherry picked to suit the narrative being driven, to crudely shape Western public opinion into hating Russia even more, and to gather more foreign support.

Links 

Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/evidence-war-crimes-committed-ukrainian-nationalist-volunteers-grows-269604

Side-note: Also in Bucha were U.S. war tourists, notably ex military, who uploaded videos of their 'success' several days ago.

* To use U.S. and NATO parlance for invasion. 

azloknatsouth

Azov-led forces in Mariupol were blocking evacuation of civilians, hiding behind them and using as human shields in residential areas, as well as using school buildings since they have solid and large shelters.  The process is wanting as many civilian casualties as possible during urban fighting.

azloknatsouth

If you don't want or can't see what's going on, you won't even see it.

This article covers three aspects related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, namely an overview of how a noxious brand of Ukrainian fascism has shaped all pervading attitude at top levels.  Some instances of malfeasance shown at the top levels of the Ukrainian government is also highlighted.  The article also outlines how this unsettling mindset has seeped into military tactics on the ground.  Lastly, this article contains part 2 of an inglorious roll call of commonplace hatred in Ukraine to show the extent of unadulterated hatred. 

A distinct Ukrainian brand of fascism became the dominant political force by embedding itself into all aspects of Ukrainian society as well political structures. Specific aspects of this was dealt with in a previous article.  

To say that there are hundreds of hotspots of Bandera glorifiers scattered throughout Ukraine may be an understatement.  The worship, the reverence of Stepan Bandera, Roman Shukhevych in particular is disconcerting but well-known. It is surreal and riddled with mind-boggling contradictions, (see image below). Coming from an alleged 1000+ year old country, basing its most revered national heroes on WWII era Nazi collaborators is simply phantasmagoric.  In fact the whole essence of Ukrainian nationalism is underpinned by:

• promoting the hatred of Russian speakers;
• portraying Russia as a hostile state against the Ukrainian people; 
• glorification of the Ukrainian military and volunteer units, in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in Donbass; 
• glorification of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA and OUN) that carried out  widespread acts of horrific ethnic cleansing of Jews and Poles during WWII, (that fought the Soviets, sometimes collaborating with the Germans).
• allowing the praise and positive image of Ukrainian manned SS units and WWII death squads as national heroes.

In short, being "pro-Ukrainian" hinges on a blend of:

•  modern-day vile hatred for Russians, Roma, Jews and others,
•  readily accepting the notion of ethnic cleansing to protect the state, 
• promotion of fascist ideologies.  

How can this even be remotely 'healthy' or an acceptable part of a democratic society? 

Post-Maidan Ukraine reflects a series of incongruous juxtapositions, many of which are disturbing and would be shocking for ordinary Europeans if they were fully aware and not perpetually mislead by complicit MSM outlets. Take one example where the state symbols of Ukraine are interwoven with openly UPA — OUN elements: the utterance of "Slava Ukraina".  Then there is tweet (now deleted) by the Ukrainian parliament:

The Ukrainian government went as far as introduced legislation that gave a privileged status of WW2 “protagonists” and UPA veterans were regularly commemorated, where a Kiev legalised the SS Galicia symbols, not considered as Nazi, and SS members feted in the Western parts of Ukraine.  In contrast, the term “Great Patriotic War” was officially abolished.

Very few Ukrainians have relatives that fought with the UPA or belonged to the OUN, including ironically Zelensky's grandfather. The public remembrance ceremonies of those who fought against WWII nazism was subverted and strongly discouraged, whereas those who fought against the Soviets were openly revered without any hindrance on the part of authorities or law enforcement.  

Two excerpts of the normalcy of fascism:

When 15,000 people in 2014 (just the one of many marches in support of UPA-OUN leaders since 2014) shout "Heil Bandera", adorned with various neo-nazi insignia and flags, especially during marches on Bandera's birthday.   

Often accompanied by shouts of "Hang the Moskals (on the lamppost/ tree/ branch)!" or "Muscovites to the knife" (stab the Moskals, "Москалей на ножи!") or "Suitcase, station, Russia" ("чемодан вокзал Россия"), along with singing the praises for Bandera, "Bandera our father".

Repeat this month in, month out, for nearly a decade.  Replicate this ideological stance in the military, school classes and in parliament. Replicate this in children's summer camps, to indoctrinate the youngest generation, to hate Russia, to accept Ukrainian fascism and its values. 

Neo-Nazi summer camp for children, as reported by Reuters and NBC News 👀 

"What is our slogan?

We are Ukraine's children!

Let Moscow lay in ruins, we don't give a damn!

We will conquer the whole world!

Death to the Muscovites!"

Charming as a combined wasp and viper's nest.

NBC News called it "hyper-nationalist military summer camp".  I'm always amazed at the lack of thought, in looking ahead to see where all of this would eventually lead to?  This indoctrination and overt brainwashing over years would certainly produce a segment of Ukrainian society, given that in the article itself already outlined seriously worrying trends:

Schaaf noted that “an increase in patriotic discourse supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia has coincided with an apparent increase in both public hate speech, sometimes by public officials and magnified by the media, as well as violence towards vulnerable groups such as the LGBT community,”

Ukraine has long-standing fixation with Bandera, take for example a postage postage issued in 2009 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Stephen Bandera. Plus another postage stamp dedicated to Roman Shukhevych the year before. Did Norway ever issue a stamp to commemorate Quisling in the last 20 years? Or maybe France, a modern-era stamp to honor Petain or Laval? Simply unthinkable but this precisely what Ukraine did.

Another simple example, when Kiev city authorities renamed two major thoroughfares in 2016, as part of the decommunisation process, one is Bandera Avenue and the other one, (you guessed it) was renamed in honor of Shukhevych. Previously, it had been named after a Soviet general, Vatutin, who was killed during WWII by the UPA.   

The concept of a warped Ukrainian national identity has deep UPA-OUN roots, laid bare and officially encouraged since 2014.  The result as detailed in a Reuters article (2018):

... many Ukrainians continue to regard the militias with gratitude and admiration, the more extreme among these groups promote an intolerant and illiberal ideology that will endanger Ukraine in the long term.

Both post 2014 governments gradually sought to change and ban the language and cultural identity of Hungarian, Greek, Rusyn and Russians minorities in Ukraine. The result is a rebranding of an ideology and leaders into something considered to be an intangible definition of being the "right kind" of Ukrainian. 

Why was Russia in a position to have assessed that carrying out an operation to demilitarise and de-nazify Ukraine, was the only outcome it is now taking?  

—  the level of attitudes based on pure hatred for Russia.

— the use of Ukrainian bio-labs, paid, facilitates by the U.S. Department of Defense for high risk research on bio hazardous materials, that is dual-use and can be bio-weapons.

— Imminent massive military attack on the Donbass, as a kind of "Operation Storm" re-run. 

— Zelensky's comment about maybe nulling the Budapest Memorandum and obtaining nuclear weapons certainly didn't help either.

The nefarious rabbit hole goes much deeper

Joining the dots: starting with this extract of interviews by President Zelensky's advisor, Aleksey Arestovich, offers a exclusive first-person glimpse into the overriding mindset at work, to be found at the highest level of Ukrainian officialdom. Straight off, the 2nd segment is part of an interview on Ukrainian TV.  These statements are filled with absolute malfeasance and contempt for democracy and note the praise for ISIS leadership and their inhumane treatment

"Cruelty for show. It is inhuman but it is of a very high level, a wise strategy."

So that was one example, here is another glimpse to get a fuller understanding.  Once more, a banal insight, of someone in a government that was supposed to implement the Minsk agreements, to stop the conflict in Donbass.  The discourse presented shows a blunt refusal to even consider implementing the Minsk agreements,  "a middle-finger to the right and left and at the same time — also to Russia and the West". 

These videos speaks volumes about the level of radicalisation that exists in Ukraine.   Western officials have not spoken out about this mindset or the level of pure hatred that is considered as normalcy. 

Another aspect to this prevailing malfeasance is when President Zelensky announced that prisoners with combat experience and ex-ATO participants were to be released from custody in the country, just happen to include rapists and pedophiles. While orders were given for weapons to be handed to all and sundry, causing a spate of shootings, killings, robberies and also criminal gang shoot outs.  The surreal response justifying the release of criminals by a Ukrainian official is remarkable and once more offers a unique insight into the mindset.

One example of a freed criminal: Daniil Dashuk of Belarus (former member of the  notorious Special Police 'Tornado' Battalion).  The only 'volunteer' unit that ended up being disbanded, with several members prosecuted and jailed for inhumane treatment while serving in the ATO,  known for raping minors in front of parents and committing senseless killings. One of the commanders was Ruslan Onishchenko, a bone fide Ukrainian Nazi. Now let loose to fight, kill and torture again by Zelensky.

The conflict 

Enter once more, Aleksey  Arestovich, the one who praised ISIS cruelty, who also argued that “international humanitarian laws or the laws of war don’t apply in this conflict".

Ukrainian military strategy is heavily focused on using cities and civilian infrastructure as cover for military action. An example of this is the shopping centre in Kiev that was used for artillery and MRLS units. There is overwhelming evidence for them using civilian residences as firing positions, placing artillery, (video of civilians protesting), placing APC near civilian areas.  Furthermore, Azov in Mariupol has deliberately used many multi-storey housing with civilians as hostages.  This ugly aspect was picked up by The Washington Post.

The Washington Post article adds:

Increasingly, Ukrainians are confronting an uncomfortable truth:The military’s understandable impulse to defend against Russian attacks could be [is]putting civilians in the crosshairs.Virtually every neighborhood in most cities has become militarized, [...]

No one of the people interviewed coming out from Mariupol said that the Ukrainian military and Azov never provided any help, no water, no food and not even any help with injured, ill civilians or kids.   Instead there is the oppposite, as noted by an Al Jazeera reporter: 

The question regarding why is the Ukrainian military using civilians as cover is answered to some extent by the callous attitudes espoused by Aleksey Arestovich in the videos. 

Summary 

Large chunks of modern-day Ukrainian identify has piggybacked on WWII fascism. The downplaying & standing by the actions of Ukrainian nationalists by Western media & "experts"is despicable.  This now translated into total contempt for civilians, now seen as expendable in the pursuit of Ukrainian national interests.

PART 2 — The roll call of pure hatred

(Part 1 is the 1st article)

Each day more banal vile hatred comes to the surface in Ukraine. The thin veneer of hatred is becoming less hidden each day. Of course, there are many who simply want to gloss over the jarring and remarkably clear examples of everyday fascist attitudes coupled with virulent hatred for Russia and Russian speakers in Ukraine.

Ex-Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine (2016-2019), Volodymyr Omelyan said on Ukrainian Lviv NTA TV channel: 

"I hope that the discussion about good Russians and bad Russians will be completed with a short conclusion: a good Russian or just a Muscovite, (Moskal) is a dead Muscovite." [...] "But bad Russians are like that from birth, and you shouldn't talk about them at all." 

He has enlisted in the Territorial Defense in Kiev at the beginning of the Russian military intervention. Previously he stated the following:

"Democracies will always win. Maybe it will take longer than everybody expects. But Putin has chosen the path of Hitler. And we already know how Hitler ends."

Now the list so far:

• International funded Ukrainian medical agency head recommendation to castrate Russian prisoners.

• Mayor of Konotop, Artem Semenikhin, stating that Russians are cockroaches in a PBS interview;

• Government funded bodies saying Russians are impure half castes on Twitter;
• Ukrainian ambassador to Germany praising Azov and other neo-Nazis;
• Calls for the assassination of Russian pilots' families (Part 1);
• Medical head instructing the castration of Russian prisoners, (Part 1)
• Ukraine soldiers shooting captured Russian soldiers in the legs and knees;
• Ukrainian TV host uses Adolf Eichmann quote to advocate genocide of Russians (Part 1);
• Numerous videos, photos of a staggering amount of nazi insignia, flags, portraits, busts, literature and WWII Nazi memorabilia left behind in various military units;

azloknatsouth

This article provides an overview into a deeply disturbing trend in Ukraine, one that started in 2014, that has accelerated and intensified since 24 February 2022. Extrajudicial killings, harassment, arbitrary detentions by men in camouflaged uniforms, beatings and disappearances continue to take place on a regular basis in Ukraine.  Most of the detentions and disappearances are often carried out by the Ukrainian Security service, (SBU), under a sweeping repression.

While we have all heard about the egregious processes that took place in the USA, a witch hunt for suspected communists, better known McCarthyism,  a similar course of action is taking place in Ukraine.  The Ukrainian authorities and associated ultra-nationalist groups are after people who were not only very critical of the former but also the current Ukrainian government.   Threats, harassment and calls for violence has been and continue to be made against those who:

• publicly supported the Minsk Agreements, 
• are against “de-communisation”,
• highlight human rights abuses,
• advocated for a settlement of the conflict in Donbass,
• are deemed to be "pro-Russian".
• Church representatives and clergy; 
• For reading the news in Russia.

Add into this maelstrom another layer of extra-judicial repression, in the form of  impromptu justice being meted out to civilians, bound up, tied to posts, beaten, humiliated and killed.  There are simply hundreds and hundreds of video clips and photos showing these events, which are outlined in another article.  People being tied up to street furniture or arrested for being pro-Russian for not being able to say the word "Palyanytsya" in Ukrainian.  Not every ethnic Russian speaker in Ukraine can speak good Ukrainian, and some have trouble pronouncing certain words in Ukrainian.  People have been reportedly killed for not pronouncing the shibboleth word correctly and thus assumed to be part of subversive Russian reconnaissance groups.

The so called" international community" has expressed no interest or desire to take a closer look at this disturbing situation in Ukraine.  Once again, the moral high ground as avidly promoted by thousands of NGOs', think tanks and a multitude of reports, dissipates rapidly in reality.  The silence is deafening and all of them absolutely mute on the repression that is taking place in Ukraine, now reported to likely start the process of EU accession in June.  Obviously, a highly repressive  and systematic serious human rights abuses committed against civilians by members of the military and police are not an impediment to being part of the European and NATO family. 

Once upon a time, there would have been prisoners of conscience that Amnesty International would have supported and denounced human right abuses, now it is a case of total amnesia, right across the board, a deadly silence reigns over the widespread instances of human right abuses and atrocities, unless it is finger pointing at Russia.  

For 8 years Ukrainian nationalists have internalised hate against Russian speaking Ukrainians and by default judged them to be guilty of being pro-Russian. Within this scope includes being pro-Minsk agreements,  advocating for peace in Donbass or highlight human rights abuses. Against this background of feverish witch-hunts,any hint of the slightest suspicion of cooperation or aiding Russians is tantamount to a summary execution in some situations, or more likely, a beating and handing over to the SBU.

A short list of those who have fell foul of the Ukrainian government and its policies:

Vlodymyr Struk (Major of Kreminna)

Denis Kireev  (high-ranking government official)

Mikhail & Aleksander Kononovich (political party leaders)

Nestor Shufrych (Verkhovna Rada deputy)

Yuri Tkachev (journalist)

Yan Taksyur (writer)

Elena Berezhnaya (Human rights activist / ex-figure skater)

Dmitry Dzhangirov,  (TV presenter, political scientist);

Yuriy Dudkin, (political scientist);

Maxim Rindkovsky (MMA fighter);

Dmitry Skvortsov (journalist);

Aleksandr Matiushenko (activist organisation “Livytsia”);

 Oleg Smetanin (violinist);

These and several others are listed in further details later on in the article.

azloknatsouth

Regularly encounter this type of comment on social media:

Ever since 2014 there has been Ukrainian territorial defence groups who are unashamedly ultra-nationalist in their outlook, unapologetically glorifiers of Stepan Bandera and certain having volunteers that are unabashedly neo-nazi in ideology. The infamous Azov Regiment or Battalion have been the centrepiece in the media:

Far-right, unabashedly promoting of Bandera ideology isn't the exclusive remit of a handful units or people, it runs much deeper than that. Back in January 2022, at the aptly named "Bandera readings", Yevhen Karas, leader of the neo-Nazi  organization "C-14", said:

“We have been given so much weaponry… because we perform the tasks set forth by the West, because we like to fight, and we like to kill.”

Azov isn't a rag tag group with a handful Neo-nazis as widely portrayed in the corporate MSM and on social media.  It is more than just 600-900 volunteers:

Not included on the visual info sheet are other paramilitary units that have trained with Azov, seen operating with Azov, such as the: 

• U.S. Foreign Observation Group;
• Atomwaffen Division;
• Misanthropic division;
• Centuria;
• C-14

An visual overview of some the ultra-nationalists units currently active in Ukraine:

Right Sector — Ukrainian Volunteer Army and Ukrainian Volunteer Corps

(Pravy Sektor, Pravyy or Praviy Sektor)

A glimpse into just one of these Right Sector units: The First Separate Assault Company with the insignia of 3 wolves. 

In total, there are approximately:

• 4 combats units (companies and assault groups)
• 25 Reserve groups — Sotnya
• 6 battalions (Ukraine & foreign) 
• 8 detachments (Ukrainian & foreign volunteers)
• Members integrated in other military units.

Aidar — timeline and overview of unit:

Azov — timeline and overview

Foreign Volunteers — March 2022