> Neonazism does indeed enjoy broad support there.
This is a lie
The very Wikipedia you linked
> Bandera remains a highly controversial figure in Ukraine.
And once Azov got integrated into the army it shed its neonazi members.
This is how propaganda works: take a kernel of truth and spin a whole tapestry of lies out of it
People are not cardboard cutouts. We do not boycott Ford cards because Henry Ford was a nazi sympathizer. We can condemn that and yet recognize him as an industralist who changed society.
On your point B: is it surprising to you that favorable views for a controversial public figure from the past known specifically for fighting against russian forces and for being extremely pro-Ukraine went significantly up in a year after Russia invaded Ukraine and forced ukrainians defend against them?
No matter how controversial Bandera’s ties to nazis were, I am almost certain that his recent rise in popularity is motivated primarily by the pro-ukrainian national identity part and not the pro-nazi part. Enemy of my enemy can be a useful ally at the moment, and all.
Bandera remains a highly controversial figure in Ukraine.[9] Many Ukrainians hail him as a role model hero,[10][11] or as a martyred liberation fighter,[12] while other Ukrainians, particularly in the south and east, condemn him as a fascist,[13] or Nazi collaborator,[10] whose followers, called Banderites, were responsible for massacres of Polish and Jewish civilians during World War II.[14][15] On 22 January 2010, Viktor Yushchenko, the then president of Ukraine, awarded Bandera the posthumous title of Hero of Ukraine, which was widely condemned. The award was subsequently annulled in 2011 given that Stepan Bandera was never a Ukrainian citizen.[16] Bandera gained further prominence following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[17][18][19]
"Bandera's favorability appeared to shoot up rapidly, with 74% of Ukrainians viewing him favorably according to an April 2022 poll from a Ukrainian research organization."
After full scale invasion support of Bandera increased because he was vocal proponent of independent Ukraine, not because he was a nazi collaborator.
It is an argument in bad faith to cite him as a marker of support for 'neo-nazism' in Ukraine, doubly so during time when adversary is coming and is very open about stripping you of your national identity, language and history.
Well, we have sort of the same debate in germany, where people want to praise Hitler, because he build the Autobahn and because he ended mass unemployment. But it is still Hitler we are talking about and consensus is, the holocaust weights stronger - and Bandera was literally involved in it all, so for me the same metric should apply.
And about Asow - what I can say for certain is, that we have some very hardcore Neonazis here in town - and they are literally friends and strongly connected with the Azow people - that's kind of all I have to know about them. But I do know more - and it is not good. Those guys aren't fighting for democracy.
You are clearly not arguing in good faith.
Comparing Bandera to Hitler is utterly ridiculous, and I am Jewish myself, so I'm not exactly standing in line to protect UPA/Bandera.
Regarding Azov, I am native Russian speaker with many friends from Ukraine, there are legitimately orgs/groups that you can call out for being open nazis, but if all you can do is comment on Azov in 2023 then you are simply delusional or misled by Russian propaganda, I'm sorry.
Are there any official Nazi regiments or heros officially admired by the US? (In Russia you have the motorcyle gang with strong links to neonazism who are buddies with Putin edit: but upon a quick check, that might have been propaganda from the other side).
Azov on the other hand is not a "Nazi regiment", it's had troubling beginnings but it was cleared up as it was brought into army ranks.
EDIT: misread the question, in US there aren't 'regiments', but denying the fact that army is rife with supremacists is plain silly.
[Any] Army by itself is a magnet for these sorts of folks, and it takes active effort to weed them out, not something that a country at war can easily afford.
There were a few people there who flirted with neo nazism back in 2014. They were rooted out swiftly. There is a reason why every time you ask Russians for proof that Azov is Nazi they show the same old and / or manipulated photos.
Today Azov has representatives of most minorities in Ukraine, including "ethnic Russians" and Jews.
Meanwhile, one of the founders of Task Force Rusisch said something along this in an interview (IIRC and I don't speak Russian natively):
> Let's not mince words, I am not a "nationalist", I am a nazi.
> yet point out and criticize that Neonazism does indeed enjoy broad support there.
This is extremely misleading (and I personally would argue wrong, but I assume good faith on your side) given that Ukrainian support for neo nazism is comparable to countries in western Europe, while russia who attack them is has a lot more neo-nazis, both in absolute numbers but also by percentage.
As for the Azov regiment, here is what wikipedia writes (emphasis mine):
> and allegedly continuing association with far-right
groups and neo-Nazi ideology,
Anyone who has followed the war in Ukraine can tell you that Jews and other minorities are heavily represented in modern Azov, including high profile members, which makes accusations about Azov being nazies somewhat ridiculous.
Again, I assume good faith on your side, but please be careful so you don't spread Russian "Z" narratives. It is incredibly damaging.
