The Department of State (DoS) are now allowed US weapons to transfer and use American weapons to the Ukrainian “Azov” Brigade, whose members openly display neo-Nazi views. Arms transfers had previously been restricted due to their association with “hateful ideology”.

As was stated to Washington Post by US department of State “After thorough review, Ukraine’s 12th Special Forces Azov Brigade passed Leahy vetting as carried out by the US Department of State,” citing legislation prohibiting military assistance to units involved in human rights abuses.

The State Department said Ukrainian officials consider lifting the ban a “top priority”.

Last April, The Washington Post citing, a US State Department spokesperson, reported that the US ban on arms supply and assistance to the neo-Nazi “Azov” Battalion had no practical consequences due to the group’s status quo.

The “Azov” Brigade was created in 2014 by former members of ultra-nationalist and neo-Nazi groups, as well as far-right football hooligans.

The unit’s co-founder, Andrey Biletsky, was a member of a white supremacist organization, but denies any connection to neo-Nazism. At the same time, many Azov fighters wear Nazi symbols and have tattoos associated with the Third Reich.

The main logo of the “Azov” brigade is the Wolfsangel symbol, which was used by several German divisions during World War II, including SS Division “Das Reich”.

In 2018, the US Congress banned the supply of weapons to “Azov”, citing its connection to neo-Nazi ideology. California Democrat Ro Khanna said: “white supremacy and neo-Nazism are unacceptable and have no place in our world.”