The Russian Supreme Court on Tuesday, August 2, classified the Ukrainian Azov Regiment, known for its defense of Mariupol in Ukraine, as “terrorist organization“, which could be worth a very heavy pursuit by Russia of its captured fighters.
Citing TASS public agency, the judge of the Supreme Court stated.to satisfy the administrative request of the General Prosecutor’s Office, to recognize the Ukrainian “Azov” unit as a terrorist organization and to ban its activities in the Russian Federation.“. Most of the trial took place behind closed doors. According to TASS, witnesses were invited to the stand and spoke about the alleged crimes committed by the Ukrainian Azov Regiment. According to Russian legislation, the leaders of the terrorist organization face 15 to 20 years in prison, and ordinary members – 5 to 10 years.
The Azov Regiment, which was created by volunteers in 2014 and later integrated into Ukraine’s regular army, distinguished itself by defending the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, which was captured by Russia after a months-long siege. After weeks of heavy fighting and shelling, the last defenders of Mariupol, entrenched at the Azovstal plant, finally surrendered last May.
The Kremlin and Russian state media accuse the Azov Regiment of being a neo-Nazi group that committed war crimes and threaten to severely punish its members. Last week, explosions at Olenivka prison, among pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and where Ukrainian soldiers captured in Mariupol are being held, killed dozens, according to the Russian military. Moscow accuses Kiev of bombing this prison camp, which is denied by the Ukrainian authorities, who claim that the prisoners were massacred by Russian forces.
Source: Le Figaro
