#denys prokopenko

[panimoonchild]

Save people who first came to protect us no matter what

[alcestas-sloboda]

Five Ukrainian military leaders, including commander of "Azov" Denys Prokopenko, his deputy Svyatoslav Palamar, commander of the 36th separate brigade of marines Serhii Volynskyi, the senior officer of "Azov" Oleh Khomenko and commander of the 12th brigade of the National Guard Denys Shleha returned home from Türkiye on a flight with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

[thelittleukrainianwell-armedgirl]

(c) Kateryna Prokopenko, the wife of commander Denys Prokopenko "Redis" @ koza_rohata_

[theculturedmarxist]

Conversations about white supremacy in America today typically center on right-wing media and incendiary politicians who blast out racist dog whistles.

But hate doesn’t need demagogues to get mainstreamed; it has also found an outlet at elite universities.

On June 29, Stanford University hosted a delegation from the Azov Brigade, a neo-Nazi formation in the Ukrainian National Guard. The panel, during which Azov’s neo-Nazi insignia was projected onto the wall, was attended by noted political scientist Francis Fukuyama, who posed for a photograph with the delegation.

This event — and the disturbing lack of reaction from Jewish organizations — showcases the limits of America’s commitment to combating white supremacy.

Call it the Ukraine exception.

Before Russia’s 2022 invasion, nearly every Western institution raised alarms about Azov. Putin’s brazen attack on Ukraine led to a much deserved outpouring of support for the country. Unfortunately, it also led to suppression of those who criticize the dark side of Kyiv: its reliance on far-right military elements, the most prominent example of which is Azov.

Even amid today’s surge of antisemitism globally, Azov has become the Teflon Neo-Nazis: freedom fighters who can do no wrong, celebrated across America, including at prestigious institutions like Stanford.

All too often, this adulation of a neo-Nazi formation has been met with silence by the Jewish community.

From neo-Nazis to heroes 

Azov began in 2014 as a paramilitary battalion formed out of a neo-Nazi street gang; it helped Kyiv fight back against Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. Azov eventually grew into a brigade in Ukraine’s National Guard. In addition to committing war crimes, the unit is notorious for its recruitment of radicals from around the world, including America.

Azov’s radicalism has been tracked by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League, banned as a hate group by Facebook and blocked from receiving weapons by Congress.

But then, Russian president Vladimir Putin used Azov as “justification” for his invasion. Moscow needed to sell the war to the public — it exploited Azov’s existence by falsely painting Ukraine as teeming with fascists and Russia’s invasion as a “denazification” mission.

The reaction of the West played in Azov’s favor. The existence of white supremacists certainly doesn’t give Putin the right to invade Ukraine. The Kremlin’s premise of “denazification” also rings hollow, considering there are plenty of neo-Nazis fighting for Moscow.

But for Azov, Moscow’s obsession has been a ticket to the limelight. Buoyed by the notion that If Putin hates them, they must be the good guys, brigade members have been welcomed to Congress and lauded on television.

In addition to an Azov veteran, the Stanford appearance featured Kateryna Prokopenko, whose husband Denys was the brigade’s commander through the spring of 2022.

Denys Prokopenko has been photographed with his platoon’s informal insignia of a bearded Totenkopf, a type of skull-and-crossbones used by the SS. He was also featured on the cover of Azov’s unofficial magazine, which uses the Sonnenrad neo-Nazi rune favored by white terrorists like the perpetrator of last year’s massacre in Buffalo, New York.

Third Reich insignia on an elite campus

Last week’s event wasn’t Azov’s first Stanford tour – a delegation was also welcomed there last fall. Ironically, one of Stanford’s own institutes published a report chronicling Azov’s white supremacy mere months before the brigade’s visit.

When asked about Azov’s return to campus, a university spokesperson told me via email on June 27 that the event was co-sponsored by the Ukrainian Student Association at Stanford at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures. “The university does not take positions on outside speakers that groups within our community want to hear from,” they added.

But Azov’s visit concerns an issue Stanford has taken a position on: Nazi symbolism.

The flyer advertising the Azov event contains the brigade’s official insignia, which is the wolfsangel, yet another hate symbol used by both the Third Reich and today’s neo-Nazis.

This isn’t the first Stanford incident involving Nazi imagery. However, the lack of response on Azov stands in sharp contrast to Stanford’s actions in previous cases. 

n 2019, Stanford was embroiled in controversy after left-wing cartoonist Eli Valley was invited to speak on campus. Valley, whose artwork features grotesque satire using Nazi imagery, was met with protests. Indeed, it led to university officials issuing a lengthy statement condemning antisemitism.

This March, the school addressed the discovery of swastikas in a dormitory by stating, “Stanford wholeheartedly rejects antisemitism, racism, hatred, and associated symbols, which are reprehensible and will not be tolerated.”

When more antisemitic attacks followed in April, Stanford’s president said: “I want to make it very clear that we will not tolerate antisemitism and the symbols of antisemitism here on campus. It is something we need to eradicate.”

Yet despite these declarations of commitment to combating antisemitism, Stanford has not responded to repeated inquiries about the university’s position regarding the Azov event displaying the wolfsangel.

We seem endlessly surprised at politicians like Donald Trump who refuse to accept responsibility for actions that enable bigotry. It shouldn’t be surprising, considering demagogues don’t bother with responsibility; that’s what makes them demagogues. 

But what about a pillar of education and enlightenment like a prestigious university? What’s Stanford’s excuse? 

Calling out neo-Nazism: Void where prohibited

Our tolerance of Azov seems even more alarming when we consider reactions to neo-Nazism that don’t involve the brigade.

In 2018, Rep. Matt Gaetz was caught inviting a Holocaust denier to the State of the Union. Gaetz’s decision to platform hate on Capitol Hill was condemned by colleagues and the ADL.

But there have been no denunciations of numerous lawmakers who welcomed Azov fighters to Washington. This includes Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who was photographed with an Azov veteran whose Twitter contained pictures of him wearing a shirt with 1488 (neo-Nazi code) and “likes” of a Hitler photo and “Death to Kikes” graffiti. 

Indeed, Azov delegations to Washington proudly advertise their meetings on the Hill. 

Or see how Jewish media and the State Department took the trouble to condemn musician Roger Waters for wearing a fascist uniform during concerts (this is part of Waters’ performance of The Wall, a satire of fascism).

The very same day, The New York Times exposed the prevalence of Nazi symbols in Ukraine’s armed forces, which receive billions in American weapons. You’d imagine this news would be at least as concerning as a musician’s costume. Yet neither the State Department nor Jewish watchdogs reacted to it (and neither the State Department or the ADL have responded to my requests for comment).

The American Jewish community must condemn neo-Nazism without exception, not just when geopolitically convenient. They can start by calling on institutions like Stanford to stop platforming Azov.

[pesoglav]

The commander of the "Azov" brigade, Denis Prokopenko, negotiating with the enemy to evacuate civilians from Azovstal. May 2022

[orangesoda63]

(SFM) Denys Prokopenko And Yulia Mykytenko

[nato-ua-alen]

"The people of Azov show extraordinary heroism, motivation and strength of spirit to fight and fight on. It's hard for me to describe it in words. We are on our land, we know that we will win and we will fight to the last drop of blood." - commander of the AZOV regiment, lieutenant colonel Denys Prokopenko "Redis". AZOV regiment #courage #heroism #elite 💙💛 «Азовці проявляють надзвичайний героїзм, мотивацію та силу духу, щоб боротися і воювати далі. Мені непросто описати це словами. Ми на своїй землі, ми знаємо, що переможемо і битимемося до останньої краплі крові». – командир полку АЗОВ, підполковник Денис Прокопенко «Редіс». Полк АЗОВ #мужність #героїзм #еліта (Україна) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjTIe0aKojb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[head-post]

Czech Republic engages in risky ties with Ukraine’s far-right Azov Brigade

Following the refusal of some European countries to host demonstrations by the Ukrainian far-right Azov Brigade on their streets, the Czech Republic agreed to hold.

The tour of the Azov Brigade, previously known as Azov Battalion and later Azov Regiment, through European countries did not proceed as planned when Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands refused to host events featuring Azov representatives.

They reportedly intended to persuade both the local far-right and Ukrainians hiding in Europe from mobilisation to join their fight against Russia.

However, the brigade’s demonstration in the Czech Republic, which has recently been actively supporting Ukraine, caused a mixed reaction. People protested in Prague, with Czech MEP Kateřina Konečná complaining to Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský about the visit of fighters from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade and former Azov fighters to Prague.

The Azov Regiment is the worst manifestation of Ukrainian nationalism and neo-Nazism. The regiment, founded by a racist, Right Sector [national-oriented political party] member Andriy Biletsky […] and led by Denys Prokopenko, a neo-Nazi and football hooligan of Dynamo Kyiv [football club].

In response, the minister accused her of allegedly supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, alluding to the Prague Spring of 1968 when Soviet tanks entered the Czechoslovak capital.

Katerina, that’s enough. While reading, I hesitated as to which state you were elected for. We will soon commemorate the anniversary of the occupation by Soviet tanks.

However, when referring to the so-called “Russian aggression,” Lipavský omitted the Czech Republic’s ties with Germany during World War II. At that time, the Czech Republic was actively supplying Berlin with a variety of armaments.

Risky ties

Today, the minister is in favour of supporting the far-right Azov Brigade. Moreover, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal’s visit to Prague in July 2024 was followed by gratitude for the active aid provided to the Ukrainian army.

Despite its size, the Czech Republic leads Europe in arms supplies to Ukraine. The government has also announced its readiness to increase production, including new military factories where Ukrainians exempted from mobilisation will work.

The Czech Republic allegedly seeks to revive its defence industry by becoming an arms market leader. The country is also discussing the possibility of supplying Ukrainian green hydrogen, transferring nuclear technology, and producing military drones. By supporting Kyiv, Prague hopes to get its share of Ukraine’s future post-war reconstruction.

Allowing marches of far-right militants on its streets, the Czech authorities risk repeating the mistakes of the past, this time becoming a tool in the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia.

THE ARTICLE IS THE AUTHOR’S SPECULATION AND DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE TRUE. ALL INFORMATION IS TAKEN FROM OPEN SOURCES. THE AUTHOR DOES NOT IMPOSE ANY SUBJECTIVE CONCLUSIONS.

Bill Galston for Head-Post.com

[mariacallous]

Meduza: View of the Kremlin: Parsing the cabinet shuffle (40 minutes — in Russian)

On the latest episode of Meduza’s Russian-language podcast View of the Kremlin, hosts Alexandra Prokopenko and Andrey Pertsev discussed the surprises in Vladimir Putin’s new government cabinet. The hosts say that the president held Mikhail Mishustin in some suspense, forcing him to stew for several days before nominating him for reappointment. Throughout his tenure as prime minister, Mishustin has benefitted from massive state spending, first during the coronavirus pandemic and now during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With “inflated government spending,” it’s easy to be a popular state official, after all. Prokopenko and Pertsev also note that Mishustin has cracked down on a phenomenon that plagued Dmitry Medvedev’s government: subordinates running to the president to go over the prime minster’s head.

Of course, Andrey Belousov replacing Sergey Shoigu as defense minister is the big shocker of the new government. Prokopenko and Pertsev describe him as a committed Keynesian who’s spent years advocating for the state economic interventions that are now federal wartime policy. Putin has reportedly kept Belousov around partly as a counterweight to the more liberal, more mainstream economists in the Central Bank and Finance Ministry. The appointment of another civilian to oversee the defense ministry is designed to deny the army its own “subjectivity” and prevent the emergence of a favorite among the joint chiefs who might compete against Putin for the military’s support. Putin also transferred control over Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation from the Defense Ministry to the presidential administration, meaning that he will personally oversee Russia’s military-technical cooperation with other countries. 

Other insights from Prokopenko and Pertsev:

Despite Putin’s rhetoric, he hasn’t created any new cabinet positions devoted specifically to the war or to Russia’s newly annexed territories.

Governorships have proven not to be a great “career elevator” except when officials have other attributes, like preexisting connections to influential figures like Kremlin domestic policy czar Sergey Kiriyenko or the billionaire Rotenbergs.

Rumors are spreading on some Telegram channels that Denis Manturov, now appointed to be the cabinet’s first deputy prime minister, might become the government’s “shadow prime minister” (now that Putin has removed from the cabinet the combined position of deputy prime minister and industry and trade minister, which Manturov held in the last government).

[cyberbenb]

Azov commander says more than 900 defenders of Mariupol remain in captivity

More than 900 defenders of Mariupol remain in Russian captivity, Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov Regiment, told Ukrainian media on Feb. 1. The announcement comes after 207 Ukrainian POWs were Source : kyivindependent.com/azov-comm…

[delectablywaywardbeard-blog]

Zelensky è a Leopoli con i militari catturati all'Azovstal per la preghiera dei 500 giorni di guerra

Il presidente ucraino Volodymyr Zelensky è arrivato a Leopoli insieme ai militari che difesero per mesi l’acciaieria Azovstal di Mariupol, rilasciati oggi in uno scambio di prigionieri. Lo riporta Ukrinform. “Oggi, nel 500° giorno di guerra, abbiamo riportato a casa in Ucraina cinque dei nostri eroi, Eroi dell’Ucraina, comandanti della difesa di Mariupol e Azovstal – Denis Prokopenko, Svyatoslav…

[news247worldpressposts]

#Breaking: This video shows #DenysProkopenko, commander of the Azov Regiment, delivering a speech in #Ukrainian upon the #AzovRegiment's return to #Lviv

This video shows Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov Regiment, delivering a speech in Ukrainian upon the Azov Regiment's return to Lviv from Turkey, where they had been kept after a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia. pic.twitter.com/0cOGnfgvR7 — The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) July 8, 2023 Source: Twitter

[molfarua]

💛💙 Commanders - Heroes from Azovstal returned home from Turkey! We bring home our heroes from Turkey - Zelensky. Ukrainian Commanders Denis Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar, Sergei Volynsky, Oleg Khomenko, Denis Shlega will finally be with their families. Finally, our Warriors are home. Glory to Ukraine!

[gertewenungar]

"Entzückend, hoch kreativ" – Marieluise Beck und ihre Liebe zum Faschismus

Auf einem Foto zeigt sich Marieluise Beck (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) als Leiterin eines einflussreichen Thinktanks mit Kateryna Prokopenko. Deren Mann Denys ist mittlerweile hochdekorierter Kommandeur einer Kompanie des Bataillons Asow. Der Fototermin ist ein offenes Bekenntnis von Beck zum Faschismus, ein öffentlicher Aufschrei bleibt aus. Von Gert Ewen Ungar Mit einem einzigen Tweet verdeutlicht…

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up September 21, 2022

Under the cut:

Russia has released some of the Ukrainian fighters it took prisoner after a protracted battle for the port city of Mariupol earlier this year, public broadcaster Suspline said on Wednesday. According to Andriy Yermak, the head of the President's Office, Ukraine returned 215 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the immediate “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens on Wednesday, a move that threatens to escalate his faltering invasion of Ukraine following a string of defeats that caused recriminations in Moscow

Security forces detained more than 1,300 people in Russia on Wednesday at protests denouncing mobilisation, a rights group said, hours after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first military draft since World War Two

Nearly all flights out of Russia were sold out just hours after Vladimir Putin declared a partial mobilisation of reservists

Finland said Wednesday it is working on a federal strategy to “limit or completely prevent” tourism from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine

Russia fired a series of long-range missiles at Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv early on Wednesday, hours after the Kremlin announced plans to annex Ukrainian territory and to carry out a partial mobilisation. Deputy Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko reported on Sept. 21 that Russian forces launched two missile strikes on the Chuhuiv district of Kharkiv Oblast, damaging the Pechenizka dam.

In a wide-ranging and impassioned televised speech at the UN on Wednesday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on the international community to adopt a 5-point formula to achieve peace and security.

“Russia has released some of the Ukrainian fighters it took prisoner after a protracted battle for the port city of Mariupol earlier this year, public broadcaster Suspline said on Wednesday.

Suspline, citing the Azov battalion unit that did much of the fighting, said an exchange had happened near the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv. It gave no details.

The Telegram account of Andriy Biletsky, original founder of the Azov battalion, showed him giving a victory sign with the caption "In service" as he held one of the captives. Reuters was not immediately able to verify when the photo had been taken.

Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia said Russia had released 10 foreign prisoners of war captured in Ukraine following mediation by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

Last month, the head of the Russian-backed separatist administration in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk said a trial of captured Azov personnel would take place by the end of the summer. 

After fighting for weeks from the bunkers and tunnels below Mariupol's giant the steel works, hundreds of Azov fighters surrendered in May to Russian-backed forces.”

-via Reuters

According to Andriy Yermak, the head of the President's Office, Ukraine returned 215 Ukrainian prisoners of war on Sept. 21.

They include defenders of Azovstal, a steel plant that was the Ukrainian military's last stronghold in the city of Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast, before the city became entirely occupied by Russia.

Among the released Ukrainians are top commanders including lieutenant colonel of the National Guard of Ukraine Denys Prokopenko, Azov deputy commander Sviatoslav Palamar, and the commender of the 36th brigade Serhii Volynskyi.

Senior sergeant of the 36th brigade Mykhailo Dianov, and paramedic Kateryna Polishchuk, also known as Ptashka (Bird), were also released. Photos of each of them have been shared on social media upon exchange.

-via Kyiv Independent

~

“Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the immediate “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens on Wednesday, a move that threatens to escalate his faltering invasion of Ukraine following a string of defeats that caused recriminations in Moscow.

Putin said in a speech that he would use “all the means at our disposal,” and even raised the specter of nuclear weapons, if he deemed the “territorial integrity” of Russia to be jeopardized.

The mobilization means citizens who are in the reserve could be called up, and those with military experience would be subject to conscription, Putin said, adding that the necessary decree had already been signed and took effect on Wednesday.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Russian television Wednesday morning that the country will call up 300,000 reservists. “These are not some people who have never heard of the army,” Shoigu said. “These are those who have served, have a military registration specialty, have had military experience.”

It comes after a sudden and successful Ukrainian offensive through most of occupied Kharkiv swung momentum in the conflict back towards Kyiv this month. The counter-attacks galvanized Ukraine’s Western backers and caused anger in Russia, which has time and again been stymied in its full-scale assault of its neighboring state that it launched seven months ago.

“Our country also has various means of destruction and in some components more modern than those of the NATO countries, and if the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people,” Putin said in his speech Wednesday indicating a possible new chapter in the months-long conflict.

Addressing the potential for escalation and use of nuclear weapons, Putin said: “Those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the prevailing winds can turn in their direction.”

The announcement comes as Russia is believed to face shortages of manpower and follows amendments to Russia’s law on military service made Tuesday, which raise the penalties for resistance related to military service or coercion to violate an official military order during a period of mobilization or martial law.

Putin framed the ongoing fighting as part of a larger struggle for Russian survival against a West whose goal is it is to “weaken, divide and ultimately destroy our country.” Several Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine announced that they will hold referendums on formally joining Russia this week, votes that have widely been dismissed as shams intended to boost Putin’s justifications for further attacks on Ukrainian territory.

“They are already saying directly that they were able to split the Soviet Union in 1991 and now the time has come for Russia to break up into a multitude of regions and areas which are fatally hostile to each other,” Putin said.

But NATO leaders dismissed the announcement as a sign of panic in the Kremlin, and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine’s military.“-via CNN

~

“Security forces detained more than 1,300 people in Russia on Wednesday at protests denouncing mobilisation, a rights group said, hours after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first military draft since World War Two.

The independent OVD-Info protest monitoring group said that according to information it had collated from 38 Russian cities, more than 1,311 people had been held by late evening.

It said those figures included at least 502 in Moscow and 524 in St Petersburg, Russia's second most populous city.

Unsanctioned rallies are illegal under Russia's anti-protest laws.

Russian Interior Ministry official Irina Volk, in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies, said officers had cut short attempts to stage what it called small protests.

"In a number of regions, there were attempts to stage unauthorised actions which brought together an extremely small number of participants," Volk was quoted as saying.

"These were all stopped. And those persons who violated laws were detained and taken to police stations for investigation and establish their responsibility."

One-way flights out of Russia were rocketing in price and selling out fast on Wednesday after Putin ordered the immediate call-up of 300,000 reservists.”-via Reuters 

~

“Nearly all flights out of Russia were sold out just hours after Vladimir Putin declared a partial mobilisation of reservists.

Google Trends data showed a spike in searches for Aviasales, Russia’s most popular website for buying flights, after Putin’s announcement sparked fears that some men of fighting age would not be allowed to leave the country.

Flights from Moscow to the capitals of Georgia, Turkey and Armenia, all destinations that allow Russians to enter without a visa, were sold out within minutes of Putin’s announcement, according to Aviasales data.

Within hours, direct flights from Moscow to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan had also stopped showing up on the website. Some routes with stopovers, including from Moscow to Tbilisi, were also unavailable.

The cheapest flights from Moscow to Dubai were costing more than 300,000 roubles (£4,320) – about five times the average monthly wage.”-via The Guardian

~

“Finland said Wednesday it is working on a federal strategy to “limit or completely prevent” tourism from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

“This national solution may include new legislation, which would be adopted very quickly,” foreign minister Pekka Haavisto told a press conference, Agence France-Presse reports.

Since Russia’s Covid-19 restrictions expired in July, there has been a boom in Russian travellers and a rising backlash in Europe against allowing in Russian tourists while the war continues.

Finland has significantly reduced tourist visas for Russians in September but tourists continue to enter the country via visas issued by other EU countries in the Schengen borderless travel area.

“Finland does not want to be a country that is a transit country for Schengen visas issued by other countries either,” Haavisto said.

According to a poll published by Finnish daily Ilta-Sanomat on Wednesday, around 70 percent of Finns want their country to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians.

Finland has been calling for an EU decision to limit visas for Russians, but Haavisto noted, “It cannot be guaranteened [sic] that this move would happen very quickly.””-via The Guardian

~

“Russia fired a series of long-range missiles at Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv early on Wednesday, hours after the Kremlin announced plans to annex Ukrainian territory and to carry out a partial mobilisation.

Explosions were heard across Kharkiv at around 2am. At least one missile struck a high-rise apartment in the western Zalutino district. It gouged a hole out of the top of the building and blew out windows in apartments facing onto a grassy square.

Ten residents were injured. It was unclear what Russia was trying to hit. An electricity sub-station targeted last week was several kilometres away. “There was a loud explosion. It was like a firework. I was in shock. I haven’t really come to my senses,” Raisa Nikolaivena, a 61-year-old pensioner said.

She added:

We are peaceful people, small people. It was quiet here up until this moment. Obviously this is Putin’s fault. He’s a terrorist and a criminal.

The emergency services sealed off the area. Municipal workers swept away debris and chopped down trees damaged in the blast. There was a sound of sawing as carpenters cut rectangles of plywood to be used to replace broken glass.”

-via The Guardian

“Deputy Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko reported on Sept. 21 that Russian forces launched two missile strikes on the Chuhuiv district of Kharkiv Oblast, damaging the Pechenizka dam. Tymoshenko said that the damage will be eliminated shortly.

There were no casualties as a result of the attack, according to the official.

Russia has recently increased the number of attacks on critical infrastructure across Ukraine. An earlier attack on a dam in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, on Sept. 14 caused the flooding of over 100 homes.”

-via Kyiv Independent

~

“In a wide-ranging and impassioned televised speech at the UN on Wednesday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on the international community to adopt a 5-point formula to achieve peace and security.

Zelenskiy, who addressed the General Assembly in a pre-recorded video, laid out a “formula for peace” that includes the following measures:

1) Punishment for crimes of aggression including sanctions and the stripping away of veto rights

2) Protection of life as he cited the mass graves of tortured bodies found in Bucha and Izium

3) Restoration of security and territorial integrity, noting that Russia’s attempts at targeting nuclear facilities in Ukraine is going to impact “all of you…because none of you will find a vaccine against radiation sickness”

4) Security and safety guarantees

5) Determination for Ukraine to continue defending itself against Russian aggression

Zelenskiy concluded his speech by calling out the the countries that voted alongside Russia to oppose Ukraine’s request to deliver a remote address as traditional UN procedures only allow in-person participants to deliver addresses.

101 countries voted in favor of the televised address while 19 abstained.

Referring to the possibility of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Zelenskiy said, “As for the talks between Ukraine and Russia, probably you have heard different words from Russia about the talks, as if they were ready for them… They talk about the talks but announce military mobilization. They talk about the talks but announce psuedo-referendums.”

In contrast, Zelenskiy reaffirmed that Ukraine is prepared for peace talks but only for “true, honest, fair peace.”

His speech was met with a standing ovation.”-via The Guardian

[head-post]

Prague citizens protest against rally of Azov Brigade

A demonstration against an action by the Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade accused of “neo-Nazism” took place in Prague, Czech media reported.

It is reported that several dozen people came to the theatre where a meeting with the military of the Azov Brigade, previously known as Azov Battalion and later Azov Regiment, was taking place. The police officers who arrived at the scene found a mock-up of an explosive device.

Earlier, Czech MEP Kateřina Konečná complained to Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský about the visit of fighters of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade and former Azov fighters to Prague.

The Azov Regiment is the worst manifestation of Ukrainian nationalism and neo-Nazism. The regiment, founded by a racist, Right Sector [national-oriented political party] member Andriy Biletsky […] and led by Denys Prokopenko, a neo-Nazi and football hooligan of Dynamo Kyiv [football club].

The brigade also planned to hold rallies in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. However, the authorities cancelled the demonstrations amid protests. The promotional event of the 3rd Ukrainian Azov Assault Brigade in Berlin was cancelled at short notice, according to German media. Days before, marches featuring the same servicemen were cancelled in Hamburg, Rotterdam, Brussels, and Cologne.

Elite unit with questionable background

In early May, Ukraine’s elite Azov unit, which led the defence of Mariupol in 2022, was excluded from the latest US military aid package over its historical ties to national-oriented extremists. The Azov Regiment was banned from receiving weapons from the US since 2017 due to allegations from a decade ago of links to neo-Nazis. The blocking of US aid sparked anger among the leadership and fighters of the unit considered heroic and elite in Ukraine.

Even earlier, in April 2023, a scandal erupted in Ukrainian media over the president’s non-approval of the 12th Azov Brigade’s petition to unblock aid. It was blocked back in 2015 by John Conyers, a Democrat from Michigan.

The Azov Brigade was founded in 2014 as a rallying point for national-oriented forces, seeking to fight against Russia, and suspected collaborators in eastern Ukraine. In doing so, they used overtly fascist symbols and communicated with followers of banned WWII movements across Europe.

Read more HERE