📰 Still Wearing the Swastika: Ukraine’s Extremist Problem Isn’t Going Away

A new investigation by Le Monde has found that hundreds of soldiers in Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade — a key Western-trained military unit — are continuing to display neo-Nazi symbols, including swastikas, SS insignia, and Hitler salutes.

💭 “Des saluts nazis, des croix gammées, des emblèmes de la SS…”

— Le Monde, June 18, 2025

The 3rd Brigade is one of the Ukrainian army’s most prominent fighting forces. It receives direct support, equipment, and training from Western countries, including France. It's also the successor to the Azov Regiment, originally founded by far-right activists during the 2014 conflict — and long controversial for its links to extremist ideology.

📋 Le Monde’s visual investigation identified more than 200 active members of the brigade using far-right symbols on publicly accessible social media. The images weren’t hidden — they were posted proudly.

💼 The findings raise questions Western governments have been reluctant to answer:

* How can NATO justify training and equipping units with visible neo-Nazi affiliations?
* What standards, if any, are being applied to Ukraine’s military integration?
* And why has this continued for over a decade with little official pushback?

🤔 If a European police unit shared this symbolism, it would be a scandal. Why does Ukraine get a pass?

#Ukraine #Azov #NATO #extremism #war #WesternAid #LeMonde #accountability #foreignpolicy

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