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In the martyr city of Mariupolin Ukraine, the Russians encountered in particular the resistance of the battalion Azova nationalist military group with a sulphurous reputation. One of the France Télévisions teams was able to meet some of its fighters near the capital, kyiv.
On social networks, members of the nationalist battalion Azov film their war on the front line, daily. Propaganda images where you can see fierce fighting, but also sabotage operations to slow down the progress of Russian forces. Who are these soldiers with a sulphurous reputation, sometimes accused of being neo-Nazis guilty of abuses?
In a place kept secret, the 20 Hours was able to meet some of these fighters. In an abandoned hangar, recruits practice shooting. “It’s a chance for them, a chance to go to the front line with one of the best equipped and prepared units.”testifies a member ofAzov. The battalion is controversial: in a photo, we see soldiers fromAzov raise your arm in front of a Nazi flag. The unit was created in 2014, when Crimea was annexed by Russia. Several reports from 2016, including one from the UN, spoke of war crimes against pro-Russians. The battalion would today number between 3,000 and 5,000 soldiers.