Counter-Currents

Forwarded from . (James A)

Slandering Azov Battalion always boils down to three points.

1. They are funded/controlled(!) by Jewish billionaire Ihor Kolomoyskyi

2. They were armed by Israel

3. They serve the jews

1. This is false. There is simply no proof beyond one claim from an Israeli newspaper (Ma'Ariv) which in turn admit it's a rumour. In any case this claim would be *debatable at best* since even if there was proof that Kolomoyskyi funded Azov (which there isn't), Kolomoyskyi did not just put money into National Socialist hands, he blanket-funded dozens of volunteer battalions very early during the first clashes of the conflict in 2014. Azov did not have the reputation on May 5th, 2014 (when it was founded) that it does now. At the time it was just a group of Ukrainian Nationalists centered around Kharkiv FC (A football club) who formed a volunteer battalion. It's possible, though not proven, that while Ihor was handing out millions of dollars to dozens of new volunteer militias, some of that money found its way into Azov hands before they were well known for being National Socialist. That hardly makes Azov a creation of or owned by Kolomoyskyi. On November 12th, 2014, Azov Battalion was incorporated into the Ukrainian National Guard after just 6 months as an independent outfit, and since then has been funded by the Ukrainian taxpayer. Finally, Ihor Kolomoyskyi "switched sides" (in quotations because he is a jew in Europe and therefore his only side is whatever is best for jews broadly and himself personally) and in 2019 began supporting Putin and Russia.

2. This claim has several forms, ranging from Azov bought weapons from an Israeli firearms dealer to Azov was armed by Israeli intelligence itself. Whatever form the rumour takes, it is factually incorrect. The root of this myth comes from Israel, specifically a group of Israeli NGO's who claim Azov has been using Israeli-made Tavor rifles.

In 2005 the Small Arms Division of Israeli Military Industries, a state owned weapons manufacturer, was privatized, giving birth to the private company Israeli Weapon Industries, who produced and own the license for the Tavor rifle system. These rifles can only be purchased from IWI. When pictures began to circulate of Azov Battalion allegedly with Israeli-made Tavor rifles, ill-informed leftists and Fascists alike took it as proof that Azov Battalion was being armed by the state of Israel.

However, these are not Israeli-made Tavor rifles, but Ukrainian-made Fort rifles via a IWI manufacture-license purchased in 2008. That's right, in 2008 a Ukrainian government owned weapons manufacturer (RPC Fort) purchased the rights from the private company IWI, who are in the business of making money, to license-manufacture Tavor rifle systems produced locally in Ukraine and renamed the Fort-221, Fort-222, Fort-223, and Fort-224. The license was purchased by RPC Fort in 2008, a full six years before Azov Battalion entered the scene in 2014. Azov Battalion has nothing to do with the fact that in 2008 a Ukrainian government owned weapons manufacturer purchased the rights to license-manufacture the Tavor rifle system.

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www.tgoop.com/countercurrents/1882

1.37K viewsMar 17, 2022 at 07:56

Slandering Azov Battalion always boils down to three points.

1. They are funded/controlled(!) by Jewish billionaire Ihor Kolomoyskyi

2. They were armed by Israel

3. They serve the jews

1. This is false. There is simply no proof beyond one claim from an Israeli newspaper (Ma'Ariv) which in turn admit it's a rumour. In any case this claim would be *debatable at best* since even if there was proof that Kolomoyskyi funded Azov (which there isn't), Kolomoyskyi did not just put money into National Socialist hands, he blanket-funded dozens of volunteer battalions very early during the first clashes of the conflict in 2014. Azov did not have the reputation on May 5th, 2014 (when it was founded) that it does now. At the time it was just a group of Ukrainian Nationalists centered around Kharkiv FC (A football club) who formed a volunteer battalion. It's possible, though not proven, that while Ihor was handing out millions of dollars to dozens of new volunteer militias, some of that money found its way into Azov hands before they were well known for being National Socialist. That hardly makes Azov a creation of or owned by Kolomoyskyi. On November 12th, 2014, Azov Battalion was incorporated into the Ukrainian National Guard after just 6 months as an independent outfit, and since then has been funded by the Ukrainian taxpayer. Finally, Ihor Kolomoyskyi "switched sides" (in quotations because he is a jew in Europe and therefore his only side is whatever is best for jews broadly and himself personally) and in 2019 began supporting Putin and Russia.

2. This claim has several forms, ranging from Azov bought weapons from an Israeli firearms dealer to Azov was armed by Israeli intelligence itself. Whatever form the rumour takes, it is factually incorrect. The root of this myth comes from Israel, specifically a group of Israeli NGO's who claim Azov has been using Israeli-made Tavor rifles.

In 2005 the Small Arms Division of Israeli Military Industries, a state owned weapons manufacturer, was privatized, giving birth to the private company Israeli Weapon Industries, who produced and own the license for the Tavor rifle system. These rifles can only be purchased from IWI. When pictures began to circulate of Azov Battalion allegedly with Israeli-made Tavor rifles, ill-informed leftists and Fascists alike took it as proof that Azov Battalion was being armed by the state of Israel.

However, these are not Israeli-made Tavor rifles, but Ukrainian-made Fort rifles via a IWI manufacture-license purchased in 2008. That's right, in 2008 a Ukrainian government owned weapons manufacturer (RPC Fort) purchased the rights from the private company IWI, who are in the business of making money, to license-manufacture Tavor rifle systems produced locally in Ukraine and renamed the Fort-221, Fort-222, Fort-223, and Fort-224. The license was purchased by RPC Fort in 2008, a full six years before Azov Battalion entered the scene in 2014. Azov Battalion has nothing to do with the fact that in 2008 a Ukrainian government owned weapons manufacturer purchased the rights to license-manufacture the Tavor rifle system.

BY Counter-Currents