Russia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday classified the Ukrainian Azov regiment, famous for having defended Ukraine’s Mariupol, as a “terrorist organization,” which could lead to harsh prosecution for its Russian-captured fighters.
Quoted by the public news agency TASS, a Supreme Court judge declared to “satisfy the administrative request of the General Prosecutor’s Office, recognize the Ukrainian paramilitary unit ‘Azov’ as a terrorist organization and ban its activities” in Russia. He clarified that this decision would take effect immediately.
“Russia will bear legal responsibility”
Most of the trial was held behind closed doors. According to TASS, the witnesses were called to the stand and spoke about alleged crimes committed by the Azov regiment in Ukraine.
On Telegram, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mykhailo Podoliak, reacted Tuesday night by assuring that “any decision of the Russian courts on the war in Ukraine and on the territory of Ukraine is not legitimate from the international point of view.” . law”.
“In any case,” he added, “Russia will bear direct legal responsibility for the mistreatment of prisoners of war.”
The Azov regiment, a unit created in 2014 by volunteers, later integrated into the Ukrainian regular army, distinguished itself by defending the port city of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine, conquered by Russia after a general headquarters for several months.
After weeks of heavy fighting and shelling, the last defenders of Mariupol, entrenched in the Azovstal factory, finally surrendered last May. Formed in 2014, the Azov regiment is made up of many neo-Nazis and is accused by Moscow of committing war crimes.
Source: BFM TV
