Denis “Redis” Prokopenko, lieutenant colonel, commander of the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov” of the Ukrainian National Guard, called on the United States to exclude “Azov” from the defense appropriations bill, which does not allow the brigade to be provided with NATO weapons.
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He noted that a number of US consolidated appropriations laws still contain amendments prohibiting the use of funds “for arming, training or other assistance to the Azov battalion” (the word “battalion” is spelled out in the law – “Rakurs”).
How many lives of personnel could have been saved and what would have been the results of the defense of the city of Mariupol if, in addition to high motivation, coherence and professionalism, the Azov people had modern armored vehicles and artillery systems,” Prokopenko said on his Facebook page.
Prokopenko noted that from 2017 until now, a number of US consolidated appropriations laws (Appropriations bill) contain the following amendment:
No funds provided by this law may be used for weapons, training or other assistance to the Azov Battalion.
The colonel pointed out that the Likhi law was applied to Azov without any evidence, based on the characteristics of the Western media, which formed their attitude under the influence of Russian propaganda.
Prokopenko explained that the amendment is the reason that in 2022, during the defense of Mariupol, the brigade did not have Western weapons.
Because of this change, even after 2022, Azov still does not have the ability to send its fighters to most of the leading Western military exercises and does not receive the necessary weapons that the allies are transferring to Ukraine, Radis continued.
It is this amendment, which moves from one Appropriations bill to another from year to year, that is the reason that in 2022, during the defense of Mariupol, “Azov” did not have the latest Western weapons.
All the main accusations against Azov have been repeatedly refuted on the basis of facts on the Internet and in the media. In particular, on the AZOV CONTRA FAKE website.
At the end of 2014, Azov ceased to be a battalion and became a separate special forces unit. Since February 2023, the unit has been the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard of Ukraine.
Colonel Prokopenko noted that “there is also no evidence or confirmation of the accusations that Russian propaganda has been pouring on Azov for 10 years.”
Currently, delegations of brigade fighters are received in the USA and Europe. “Azovites” hold meetings with representatives of the American Congress, human rights organizations, speak at the UN, the Council of Europe, and at the best Western universities. According to Prokopenko, Azov is received at the highest level throughout the Western world, but the brigade is still not given weapons.
Radish added that Azov was the first unit in Ukraine to switch to NATO standards on its own initiative: Without Western weapons, in 10 years we have become one of the most combat-ready units in the state. He called for the brigade to be removed from the Appropriations bill and all “black lists.”
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.