The Guardian: Ukraine’s Highest-Profile Azov Takes Unusual Step To Strengthen The Front

The brigade is taking part in military operations in the Toretsk area.

Azov, a volunteer brigade whose decade-old nationalist origins have made it a target of Russian propaganda, plans to form an international battalion to boost its numbers as Ukraine heads into a fourth year of full-scale war. This is reported by The Guardian.

The unit commander, whose call sign is Karl, said Azov largely hoped to recruit people with military experience.

“We are fighting to not let Russia become closer to Europe,” he said, arguing that if Ukraine were to fall, Moscow would go on to threaten Poland, the Baltic states and other nations.

International support and a new strategy

Non-Ukrainians seeking to join Azov have to complete a recruitment process, including interviews in Kyiv, which Karl said includes a psychological assessment and a polygraph test, to check they do not work undercover for Russian special forces. Initial training will last two to three months. After training, those willing to stay on are expected to join infantry assault units.

Azov is now operating near Toretsk in the east of Ukraine, a ruined town split between both sides’ armies.

The unit continues to demonstrate high combat effectiveness, making it one of the most popular among Ukrainians.

Evolution and global support

Azov was created as a volunteer militia in 2014, but over the years of war it has become a professional and very powerful brigade. Although in the past it has been questioned for its political ideology, the unit has changed significantly over the past decade.

The US, which previously refused to supply it with weapons, lifted the ban, acknowledging that Azov has not committed human rights violations.

The brigade gained legendary status after the heroic defense of Mariupol in 2022, when fighters held positions at the Azovstal plant until their last bullet. Although many of them were captured by the Russians, the spirit of Azov remained a symbol of resistance and fortitude. In 2014, Azov also liberated Mariupol from Russian occupiers.

Azov's decision to recruit English-speaking volunteers reinforces the international aspect of the Ukrainian resistance. This unit has become a shining example of fighters from different countries uniting for a common goal — to protect Ukraine and Europe from Russian aggression.

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