,
12 tweets,
5 min read
Read on Twitter
Thread. Total of 25 members of law enforcement now reported injured in clashes with far-right the Azov movement (National Corps, National Militia) in Ukraine's Kyiv and Cherkasy. That's according to the National Police of Ukraine npu.gov.ua/news/masovi-za… ; kyiv.npu.gov.ua/news/publichna…
Yesterday "National Militia" and "National Corps" protests against alleged corruption by President Poroshenko turned violent, and video suggests far-right were the aggressors. In Cherkasy protesters tried to break police lines and get to Poroshenko
Meanwhile leader of the Azov Movement Andriy Biletsky in a statement posted online has promised that Poroshenko "will have to answer" for alleged corruption t.me/BiletskyAndriy… 
Per Biletsky "the only offense yesterday was on part of the law enforcement that illegally blocked streets in Kyiv, and blocked veterans' access to an election rally (in Cherkasy)". Numerous "National Corps" and "National Militia" members are vets of UA war against RU aggression
The Azov movement also includes a well-armed regiment of Ukraine's National Guard (part of Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs). The Azov Regiment openly acknowledges Biletsky as leader. It's anybody's guess who the Regiment actually answers to
The rise of the Azov movement was predicated on support from the minister of Internal Affairs Avakov since 2014, and it's alleged that the Azov movement could be doing Avakov's bidding on the eve of the Presidential election in Ukraine later this month.
Yesterday Avakov condemned the violence, yet called protesters' anger "righteous" and mentioned " crime of corruption" referring to the corruption scandal now shaking up Poroshenko's chances of reelection :
You can also read about other reasons why events in Ukraine may matter to the West in my recent report re Azov's ties to extremists in the USA, West bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-eu…
"This will be the year of our victory and the year that the regime of Poroshenko's marauders dies". The National Corps has issued a statement through Telegram t.me/NK_support/182. Apparently their (and the National Militia's) pages on Facebook are down
Another NC statement issued via Telegram claims leader of the National Corps in Cherkasy (city that saw the most violence against police during far-right protests yesterday) Dmytro Kukcharchuk & other members of the chapter were detained today t.me/NK_support/183
On this photo Kukcharchuk, holding a loud speaker, is next to leader of the Azov movement Biletsky. The National Corps urged residents of Cherkasy "to get ready to mobilize to help comrades"
Correction: the statement came from the NC “supporters” Telegram channel “NK_support” that has been endorsed by the National Militia leader Ihor Mykhailenko.
