Stanford is supporting neo-Nazi ideology by welcoming Azov: Russia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Oct 2022 17:43
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Russia's Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov slams Stanford for advocating neo-Nazi ideology by welcoming the Azov Battalion as guest speakers.

Azov Battalion at the Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (Social Media)

Russia's Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, has slammed Stanford University for sponsoring an event featuring soldiers from the infamous Ukrainian Azov Battalion, an organization whose members openly advocate neo-Nazi ideology.

“It would appear that in its maniacal drive to tarnish and cancel Russia, the US is prepared to glorify Nazism,” Antonov told the press on Thursday.

According to photographs uploaded on social media and other sources, the institution received many Azov delegates on October 1, including two former POWs recently released by Russia in a prisoner swap. Michael McFaul, the former US Ambassador to Russia and a prominent opponent of Moscow, was also present.

The Stanford Daily, the student-run publication at the institution, alleged Azov's far-right affiliations were "historic" and based on online claims. It also reiterated assertions made by one of the guests, co-founder Giorgi Kuparashvili, that the group's logo is not based on the Nazi Wolfsangel symbol, but rather spells 'N' and 'I' for "national idea".

Members of the group, including military personnel, have a well-documented history of far-right ideology and connections to similar-minded organizations throughout the world. The Ukrainian group is described as "a far-right nationalist network of military, paramilitary, and political organizations" by Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISC).

According to its website, it is recognized for the “recruitment of far-right foreign fighters from the US, Russia, and Europe, as well as extensive transnational ties with other far-right organizations.”

Their appearance at one of the most prestigious colleges was only one of the group's recent stops in the United States. The organizers of a prior gathering in New Jersey stated that they sought to "dispel the Russian agitprop that the Azov regiment is Nazi" and collect donations for them.

It is worth noting that major Western news publications, including the New York Times, have previously labeled the Ukrainian group as "neo-Nazi".