There are currently thirty-four volunteer battalions subjected to the jurisdiction of Interior Ministry fighting in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine, according to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
“We currently have thirty-four battalions formed on volunteer basis,” he said in an interview with Focus magazine.
When asked about international organizations’ accusations regarding unlawful actions committed by the volunteers, Avakov said that they actually had happened, but such actions were immediately stopped. “Of course, there are peculiarities about everything. We have disbanded one battalion, although it took part in battles, there were deceased and wounded [soldiers] in it. Irreversible processes that must be punished took place there: looting, lack of discipline. The first one discredits the army, the second one leads to losses. We put a stop to such cases, although one can’t watch everybody [all the time],” the minister said.
He also confuted statements in a number of media that soldiers of Azov battalion follow radical ideology. “Yes, the majority of soldiers in Azov battalion have their own perception of reality. But who told you that you can judge them? Don’t forget what the Azov battalion did for the country… Anyone, who will tell me that these guys are following Nazi beliefs, is lying through his teeth and talks nonsense. I spent a lot of hours talking to Azov soldiers. There are no Nazism or swastikas there,” Avakov said.
According to Interior Minister, the conflicts among volunteers, who used to be Maidan activists, and Interior troops or soldiers of Berkut special taskforce actually happened, but they are long forgotten now. “Conflicts occurred during first months, but they are the thing of the past now… We saw conflicts on frontline roadblocks that were settled in a day,” the minister said.
He also said that ATO command needed rotation. “ATO command needs rotation, as for example, Chief of the General Staff Colonel General [Viktor] Muzhenko. He’s a brave man, who has all the soldier’s qualities. But he’s been under pressure for a couple of months. Besides, one man can’t make all the military decisions. There must be a team. There must be a rotation. There must be a collegial principle for decision making. And I think this is how it will be soon,” Avakov said.
