Fascist Ukrainian Azov Battalion Advertising To Young Irish Men

The fascist Ukrainian Azov Battalion is advertising to young Irish men, Aontacht Media can confirm.

This week, Aontacht Media received screenshots from a contributor which showed Azov’s 52^nd International regiment advertising enlistment on Instagram to young Irish men.

Azov came into being as a political paramilitary organisation composed of Ukrainian militants and their recruits during the course of Euromaidan in 2014. It was from its inception heavily associated with Ukraine’s various far-right and Nazi organisations, and has maintained this political character although professionalised and state-sanctioned today. Azov has also been documented in numerous instances to have participated in obscene war crimes against the people of Donbas and Ukraine more generally both, before and after explicit state approval.

It is illegal for a foreign military unit to advertise enlistment to Irish citizens within the State under the Defence Act 1954, and it is further illegal for an online platform (Meta) to monetise such content. Aontacht Media’s investigative team has contacted Coimisiún na Meán with regard to this issue.

The Irish Times in March 2022 recorded data on Ukrainian military adverts which demonstrated that the advertisements disproportionately targeted young Irish men. 65% of those shown Ukrainian military adverts were men aged between 25 and 34.

These advertisements are targeting young Irish men in a period of great unease and anxiety with Ireland’s place in the world and conflicts. It follows a heightened campaign by the mainstream media in this country to attack Irish neutrality in lockstep with FFG, and in the effort to do this they have continuously mythologised and celebrated the units fighting Russia in Ukraine.