Biden Lifts 2017 Ban on Supplying Weapons to Ukrainian Azov Brigade

Jun 11, 2024, 05:33 AM

The Biden administration has lifted the ban on supplying weapons to the Ukrainian Azov Brigade, a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard. This decision follows a review by the U.S. State Department, which determined that the brigade has transitioned from its controversial past and now meets the requirements of the Leahy Act. The ban, which was in effect since 2017, was initially imposed due to concerns over human rights violations. The Azov Brigade, also known as the 12th Special Purpose Brigade and the 12th Operational Brigade, is expected to receive U.S. military assistance to bolster its efforts against Russian forces. The brigade passed the Leahy test according to State Department officials. The move has been reported by The Washington Post and other media outlets.