Members of Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade, which includes the famous Azov Brigade, is to visit Brussels on 28 July as part of a tour of Europe to recruit volunteers and raise funds.
The tour will cover nine European cities, including Rotterdam, Berlin and Warsaw. Entry to the events is not free, providing not just an opportunity to speak with brigade members, but also a chance to watch Ukrainian dance performances.
According to the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), a US think tank, over 900 voluntary recruits join the brigade each month.
The 3rd Assault Brigade has its origins in the Azov Regiment. Both outfits were founded by extreme-right Ukrainian politician Andriy Biletsky.
Formed as a volunteer unit in 2014, Azov was primarily engaged in battles against Moscow-backed, pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Initially a regiment, it was later integrated within the Ukrainian National Guard as a brigade.
Azov fighters have earned a hero’s reputation among Ukrainians for their resilient but ultimately fruitless defence of the Azovstal steel plant during the Russian army’s 2022 siege of Mariupol.
However, in 2016, human rights organisations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch accused Azov members of committing human rights violations, including torture.
Azov’s ties to ultranationalist circles have fuelled the narrative employed by the Kremlin, which claims its invasion strategy partly involves the “de-Nazification” of the neighbouring country.
