Zelensky recently sparked outrage in Greece when he brought an Azov fighter with him to address the parliament. Here is what the leader of the opposition party had to say:
“The speech of members of the neo-Nazi Order Azov in the Greek Parliament is a provocation.
The absolute responsibility lies with the Prime Minister.
He talked about a historic day but it is a historical shame.
Solidarity with the Ukrainian people is given.
But the Nazis can not have a say in Parliament.”
They are a lot more than just neonazis. They are organized. Well funded by the government and are now a good reason for Russians to claim that they are “denazifing” that part of Ukraine.
They are also a good tool for rationalization which is why the op keeps hammering the point.
Yes, they are a prime target of Putin’s de-Nazification campaign. Reports are that Azov has been preventing civilians from leaving Mariupol and using them as human shields.
Are these good things?
In late February, with Russian forces besieging Mariupol, in which 120,000+ ethnic Greeks live in and its surrounding villages including Sartana, SKAI news spoke with Mr Kiouranas who lives in the city and described the Ukrainian “fascists.”
When asked by SKAI news if he planned to leave the city, Kiouranas responded “how can I leave? When you try to leave you run the risk of running into a patrol of the Ukrainian fascists, the Azov Battalion.” https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/03/18/greek-refugee-from-mariupol/
They’re trying to kill anyone fighting against them, and some that aren’t fighting at all. Would they not still be trying to kill them if they weren’t Neo Nazis?