Strange it may seem, but Ukraine’s far right and Russia’s propaganda machine share a common fantasy: a radical right-wing coup in Kyiv. Just as the Ukrainian right has been making moves in domestic politics over the past year, a coup scenario in the country’s capital would be precisely the escalation Russia needs to win the war in the east.
If we do see regime change in Ukraine, then the Azov volunteer battalion is a likely candidate to take charge of this new “junta”. Formed from far-right groups as separatist conflict broke out in 2014, Azov was initially created as a special police battalion, and quickly won a reputation for defending the city of Mariupol in south-eastern Ukraine. It is now a regiment within Ukraine’s National Guard.
But it seems Azov isn’t satisfied with military glory. A spate of aggressive actions over the past month has caught the attention of left-wing activists and public opinion more generally. Yet Azov’s recent activities reflect not only the mobilisation of the far right, but what’s going on behind the scenes in Ukrainian politics. The group, it should be said, owes its rise partially to Arsen Avakov, Ukraine’s interior minister.
