Latest news with #3rdAssaultBrigade
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Nazi symbols prevalent in Ukrainian military
Ukrainian soldiers continue to publicly display neo-Nazi symbols – including swastikas, SS tattoos, and Nazi salutes – according to an investigation by French outlet Le Monde. In its report, published on Wednesday, Le Monde identified nearly 350 Ukrainian troops posting neo-Nazi imagery online, including Nazi salutes, swastika tattoos, Black Sun emblems, and Totenkopf insignias. According to the research, at least 200 of those identified serve in Kiev's 3rd Assault Brigade. Russia has repeatedly accused Kiev of fostering neo-Nazi ideology and glorifying WW2-era Hitler collaborators and has demanded the 'denazification' of Ukraine as part of a negotiated peace agreement. Formed in 2023, the 3rd Assault Brigade is a direct successor of the Azov Regiment – originally created in 2014 by far-right figure, Andrei Biletsky. Azov has been accused by multiple human rights groups, as well as the UN, of war crimes and torture and has been widely criticized for its use of symbols tied to the Waffen-SS. According to Le Monde, the 3rd Assault Brigade has received military training from several NATO countries, including France, Spain, Germany, the UK and Canada, who have also poured in billions in military support to Ukraine. The paper noted that some soldiers sent to France in 2023 bore visible SS tattoos. When questioned, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces stated that it was the responsibility of Ukraine to vet the personnel. The report also stated that a number of foreign volunteers who have joined Ukraine's forces, including French nationals, have affiliations with far-right groups. Some were shown posting Nazi tributes and displaying related tattoos online. Le Monde further stated that the 3rd Assault Brigade, now expanded into a full corps under Biletsky's command, has been playing an increasingly central role in Ukraine's military. The outlet reported that its units continue to use Nazi-associated emblems and feature commanders with visible far-right markings. Moscow has long condemned Kiev's elevation of Nazi collaborators to national hero status and has accused Western governments of deliberately ignoring continued neo-Nazi activity in Ukrainian ranks. In April, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stressed that the rebirth of Nazism cannot be allowed and outlined the destruction of the 'Kiev neo-Nazi regime' as a necessary outcome of the Ukraine conflict. He insisted that 'a real de-Nazification is required' and that the ideology 'needs to be rooted out not only in Ukraine, but in all of Europe.'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ukrainian military responds to commander's claim of no state-supplied FPV drones for 3rd Brigade
Ukraine's Armed Forces responded to recent comments by Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, who claimed that the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade had not received any state-supplied (first-person-view) FPV drones for three months, Babel reported on June 2. The 3rd Brigade, which formed the basis for the formation of the 3rd Army Corps, is seen as one of the most battle-hardened Ukrainian units. Many of its members include Azov veterans. In a written response to a request from Babel, the Armed Forces of Ukraine said the brigade had received a total of 7,992 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of various types between Jan. 1 and May 27. The military did not clarify whether that number included FPV drones. According to the military's logistics service, units are provided with a list of available equipment and may select what they need. All requests submitted by the 3rd Assault Brigade were reportedly fulfilled. The brigade must submit a separate request to the Defense Ministry for targeted funding if it requires a specific modification that is not in stock, the response read. That was the case in May, when the 3rd Assault Brigade received funds for procurement, the logistics department told Babel. In total, the state reportedly allocated Hr 151.5 million (about $3.6 million) to the brigade in 2025 for drone purchases. As of May 28, 57% of those funds had been spent. Biletskyi made his comments in an interview published May 11 with journalist Yurii Butusov. "I'd like to 'thank' the Defense Ministry — for three months, the 3rd Assault Brigade did not receive a single FPV drone," Biletskyi said. "We were severely lacking (the drones,) " he added. "Without the FPVs supplied by the state, we really dried out during these three months, because the front line is huge." Biletskyi also said the supply flow of drones to his unit has fluctuated. "In some periods, we received 30–40% of what was needed, and that mattered." Drones have proven especially effective during Ukraine's full-scale war with Russia, with both sides using them extensively on the front lines and for strikes beyond the battlefield. Read also: Ultimate guide on how drones changed warfare in Ukraine We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian missile strike on Sumy suburb kills child, injures at least 6
Russian forces launched a missile attack against a suburb of Sumy on May 6, killing a child and injuring at least six people, the local military administration reported. According to the preliminary information, Russian troops used a ballistic missile, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration said. It was launched at around 5:30 p.m. local time, targeting civilian infrastructure. Most of the injured are children. One child is in extremely serious condition, the administration said. Further details of the attack are being clarified. Shelling is a daily occurrence for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia, with Sumy Oblast is a northeastern region that borders Russia's Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk oblasts. Sumy Oblast residents often experience multiple attacks per day, with border areas suffering from artillery and glide bomb attacks, and the regional capital of Sumy coming under missile and drone strikes. Most recently, Russia has been deploying small assault groups to infiltrate the region in a bid to expand the front line. Read also: A night with the medics of Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade on Kharkiv Oblast front We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade releases video showing hybrid air defence system
The 3rd Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has released a video showing the Dragon H73 mobile anti-aircraft missile system, which combines Soviet R-73 missiles with American HMMWV vehicles. Source: the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade on Facebook Details: "This mobile fire system, built on the chassis of the first HMMWV, is designed to strike both tactical aircraft and large drones like Orlan or Shahed. We use it all the time, as the system is capable of operating both during the day and at night," said the commander of the Dragon H73 system, who goes by the alias Shaman. Dragon H73. Photo: Screenshot from the video by the 3rd Brigade The Dragon H73 is equipped with a module carrying two Soviet R-73 air-to-air missiles. Soviet R-73s on a MiG-29 fighter jet. These missiles were developed by the Soviet Union in the 1980s for launch from fighter jets, but over the past decades various countries have adapted them for launch from land or sea-based platforms as part of air defence systems. This is not the first time Ukraine has used these missiles in a surface-to-air role. For example, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine integrated R-73s onto Magura V5 uncrewed surface vessels, which were used to shoot down two Russian Mi-8 helicopters in December 2024. Magura V5 uncrewed surface vessel with integrated R-73 missiles. Photo: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Also in 2024, the Come Back Alive charity foundation integrated these missiles into the Soviet Osa anti-aircraft missile system, investing UAH 14 million (about US$336,496) into the modernisation. Osa anti-aircraft missile system with integrated R-73 missiles. Photo: Come Back Alive The UK Gravehawk air defence system, developed specifically for Ukraine, also operates using R-73 missiles. Gravehawk anti-aircraft missile system with integrated Soviet R-73 missiles. Screenshot from the video by UK Ministry of Defence The R-73 remains in service in several dozen countries worldwide, making it potentially available on the global market as well as from Ukraine's own stockpiles. Even before the full-scale war began, Ukrainian companies had announced their capability to repair and modernise these missiles. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
5 killed, 61 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day — 77 drones reportedly intercepted
Russia launched an overnight attack on Ukraine using two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 183 drones of different types, killing five civilians and injuring at least 61 others, Ukrainian authorities reported on May 3. Ukraine's air defense forces intercepted 77 drones, while another 73 were lost from radar without causing damage, according to the Air Force report. The heaviest casualties were reported in Kharkiv, where 51 people, including two children aged 11 and 16, were injured in a mass drone attack late on May 2, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office. Russian forces launched at least 15 Geran-2 drones at the city, triggering fires and widespread destruction across the Osnovianskyi, Slobidskyi, Saltivskyi, and Kyivskyi districts. In other parts of Kharkiv Oblast, including Kupiansk and Bohodukhiv districts, Russian strikes killed one, damaged homes, a store, an apartment building, and a warehouse. In total, four settlements and the city of Kharkiv were hit, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said earlier. In Kupiansk district, strikes damaged a private home, store, apartment building, and other civilian infrastructure. In Bohodukhiv district, two homes and a warehouse were damaged or destroyed. In Donetsk Oblast, four people were killed, and eight more were injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. He emphasized that casualty figures exclude Russian-occupied Mariupol and Volnovakha. In Sumy Oblast, Russian forces injured two civilians in the Seredyna-Buda community amid nearly 130 attacks across 43 settlements in one day, regional officials said. Russian attack damaged homes, a post office, educational institutions, and other infrastructure across several communities. In Mykolaiv Oblast, Russia launched Shahed drones at Mykolaiv city, targeting industrial sites overnight. No injuries were reported, according to Governor Vitalii Kim. Additional drone strikes hit settlements in the Mykolaiv and Ochakiv districts throughout the day on May 2, also without casualties. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for a 30-day , saying on April 23, Ukraine insists on an "immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire." "For over 50 days now, Russia has been ignoring the American proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire," Zelensky wrote on X on May 1. He added that Ukraine had also proposed halting strikes on civilian infrastructure and establishing "lasting silence" across land, sea, and air. "Russia has responded to all this with new shelling and new assaults," he said. Read also: One night with 3rd Assault Brigade medics in a new age of war We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
