The Azov Brigade, known for its tenacious but ultimately unsuccessful defense of the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol early in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is regarded as a particularly effective fighting force. But it was barred about a decade ago from using American arms because U.S. officials determined that some of its founders espoused racist, xenophobic and ultranationalist views, and U.N. human rights officials accused the group of humanitarian violations.
“After thorough review, Ukraine’s 12th Special Forces Azov Brigade passed Leahy vetting as carried out by the U.S. Department of State,” the agency said in a statement, referring to the “Leahy Law” that prevents U.S. military assistance from going to foreign units credibly found to have committed major human rights violations.
The State Department found “no evidence” of such violations, its statement says.
The brigade’s leadership says that it long ago shed those associations and that its commanders have fully turned over since that era.
While we're here, what is your opinion on the movie Resident Evil: Extinction (part 3)? When it came out, the mainstream opinion basically was that it had ruined the whole franchise, poopoo dogwater. I personally quite liked it as a standalone movie, fun action film.
Edit: just rewatched it, still a banger. It's surprisingly woke. And big queen energy all around, women get it done.
spoiler
Evil guy: "They're animals, essentially. We can domesticate them if we can take away their baser instincts. They would provide a basis for a docile workforce"spoiler
Leader of the convoy to the people she picked up: "We have a decision to make. And it's too big and important for me to make for you"spoiler
"Climbing the Eiffel Tower with a high-powered rifle. A few years ago that would've caused a stir"