Thread by @KSergatskova

Few years ago, I and my @zaborona_media team filmed a short op-doc about #Mariupol and it’s change makers. There are three different characters: eco activist who fought oligarch, owner of Azovstal plant, art activist who developed a new culture, and #Azov regiment’s officer. 🧵

This op-doc may give you an idea of ​​what #Mariupol was like before the #Invasion, and who are the officers of Azov. They are not “nazis”, as Russian propaganda may tell you. There were people with different views, and the command didn’t approve the expression of radical views.

At the beginning of the war in 2014, there were people with radical, even white supremacy views, inside the first groups of the Azov battalion. But soon, command ordered them to resign. Azov regiment trained a lot, and they became professionals.

But some radicals joined Azov affiliated movement (National Squads), and attacked vulnerable groups like LGBT or Roma people in Kyiv and other cities. Most of them never fought Russia and were not welcomed in the Azov regiment.

Some members of Azov changed their views and quit the mentioned movement. They focused on protesting the unfair judgment of activists and the police violations. They now effectively fight Russia within the “Honor” movement.

There were lots of publications in the international press (and RU propaganda) about Azov which claimed that the Azov regiment had radical fighters inside. But it wasn't fair. Those radicals were a pain in the ars for the regiment.

Now we see the consequences: Azov has no proper weapons to fight #Russia in #Mariupol. They had little support from the gov and UA partners.
Moreover, now it's clear that Russia destroys Mariupol just because they think they fight mythical “nazis”.

I've been covering far-right movements in Ukraine for a pretty long time, and I can say that we didn't take seriously enough those allegations by Russian propaganda. It was a parallel world in which they discussed how they will eliminate “nazi Ukaine”. It was kind of a meme.

But #Azov regiment took it seriously. They have been training for 8 years. That's why they managed to destroy so many Russian troops in #Mariupol and still hold on to #Azovstal.

On the morning of 24, Feb. everything changed dramatically. #Russia appeared to be crazy enough to invade #Ukraine using their “nazi” mantra. They even called our Jewish president “nazi”. Now they are destroying the country just because they want Ukraine gone.

Here is a link to #Mariupol's “Light it up” op-doc episode. This beautiful city doesn't exist anymore. It’s destroyed by #Russia. But its smart, brave and open-minded people are alive and they will rebuild it one day.