Azov Battallion opens up on new patronage service following criticism
Source: Azov Battalion
The 12th National Guard Brigade “Azov” has clarified its position over the a new ‘support service’ it created for its soldiers after it drew criticism from the “Angels of Azov” patronage service.
Soon after September POWs swaps that saw several Azov soldiers return to Ukraine, Azov senior commander Denys Prokopenko said his brigade will have a new service unit called “Azov. Suprovid.” that will aid wounded soldiers, handle the burials of fallen “Azov” members, and provide support to their families.
“Angels of Azov” patronage service though claimed the new unit could cause “chaos and collapse,” as it creates the situation where their duties can overlap.
“Despite the creation of a new service, we will continue our work supporting fighters, with backing from the 3rd Assault Brigade,” the Patronage Service said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that families of Azov soldiers now could face confusion over whow they need to approach.
“Azov. Surpovid” tried to clarify the situation arguing that new support services for Defense Forces units were introduced according to a new government policy. The Azov leadeship also argued “Angels of Azov” is not an official part of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard, as it is “formally affiliated with another brigade”.
Similar support services will soon be implemented in other brigades as well.
“We were genuinely surprised by the public reaction from ‘Angels of Azov,’ as this initiative was actually introduced by activists from their own service,” the new support service said in their statement, adding that “Angels of Azov” knew “Azov. Suprovid” was going to add a new unit and reached out to offer assistance.
“Azov. Suprovid” said it is not about ‘rivalry’ or ‘chaos’ as the newly established service is now involved only in a rehabilitation program for the Ukrainian POWs returned in the last two prisoner-of-war swaps.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
In recent days, Moscow’s official rhetoric has been dominated by hysteria over the decision of…
In 2025, the deadliest year yet for civilians, Ukraine’s three largest charitable foundations raised a record 105.9 billion hryvnias. It is more than the years 2022–2024 combined. According to the UN, humanitarian aid in Ukraine was delivered by more than 450 organisations, reaching five million people over the course of the year. Civic foundations hold licences to purchase lethal weapons, which is a function states have monopolised for centuries. These record sums were underwritten by international government grants, which means foreign states now channel billions directly through Ukrainian civic funds, bypassing inter-state channels. It is hard to imagine a stronger institutional trust in civil society.