MYTH 9: AZOV IS A PARAMILITARY ENTITY BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OF UKRAINE

Azov is a military unit within the National Guard of Ukraine, which obeys the orders of the General Staff of Ukraine. In the entire history of Azov's existence, there is not a single proven situation of disobedience or sabotage of orders of the Ukrainian General Staff by the Azov troops.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi regularly holds meetings with Azov commanders as part of the work process of Ukrainian General Staff.

In 2023, during his diplomatic visit to Turkey, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky solely held talks with Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the return of Azov commanders from Turkey to Ukraine.

In 2023, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko repeatedly personally awarded Azov fighters with state and departmental awards, as well as handguns awarded for service*. 11 representatives of Azov were honored with the highest state award — the title of the Hero of Ukraine. The Gold Star Order, which is awarded to those who received this title, is personally awarded by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov with the honorary award "For Courage and Bravery" on the 10th anniversary of the National Guard of Ukraine, March 26, 2024. During his speech, the President singled out the Azov Brigade, whose soldiers defended Mariupol and Azovstal, among other military formations of the National Guard. He also commemorated the brigade's soldiers who are still in Russian captivity and assured that the state is making every effort to bring Ukrainian defenders home. The President handed the ribbon to the commander of the Azov Brigade, Colonel Denys "Redis" Prokopenko.

On June 14, 2024, at a meeting of the UN Security Council, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, called for an end to the torture of Azov servicemen and their inclusion in the POW exchange. Kyslytsya said:

On October 1, 2024, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Azov Brigade Artillery Group, Lieutenant Bohdan "Voh" Tsymbal received the highest state award, the "Hero of Ukraine", from President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Bohdan joined Azov at the age of 18. In 2022, he took part in the defence of Mariupol, where he sustained 4 serious bullet wounds and was evacuated by helicopter to the territory, controlled by Ukraine. During the defence of Mariupol, Bohdan's brother, who also served in the Azov, was killed. After returning to service, Bohdan carried out dozens of bold sabotage operations behind enemy lines, destroying dozens of enemy personnel, equipment and weapons.