Germany’s Scholz poses with neo-Nazi-linked Ukrainian soldier (PHOTO)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has met with a member of a Ukrainian military unit believed to have neo-Nazi links, during his visit to the country this week. Video footage of Scholz with the wounded fighter was posted on X by Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky.

The German head of government visited Ukraine on Monday, where he held talks with Zelensky that were preceded by a joint visit to a hospital where wounded military personnel are being treated.

Commenting on Scholz’s visit, X user Moss Robeson, who claims to be an independent researcher of Ukrainian fascism and Nazism, wrote that Zelensky had introduced the German official to an injured “fighter from the 🇺🇦National Guard battalion affiliated with the far-right Svoboda party.” According to the post, the party has ties to German neo-Nazi party ‘Der Dritte Weg’ (The Third Way).

A readout on the German chancellor’s website quotes him as reiterating Berlin’s unwavering support for Kiev during a joint press conference with Zelensky on Monday. Scholz added that his focus was on ensuring that Ukraine would be negotiating from a favorable position during any potential talks with Russia.

The Kremlin has long maintained that far-right elements have infiltrated the Ukrainian military and public authorities, and has described the “denazification” of the country as one of its ongoing military campaign’s objectives.

The Azov battalion is among the most notable examples of these tendencies, Moscow says.

Established as a volunteer unit in 2014 and incorporated into Ukraine’s National Guard a year later, Azov infamously uses banners with the Wolfsangel symbol, which was also used by several German divisions during World War II, including the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich.

Many of its fighters are known active and former members of ultranationalist and neo-Nazi groups, as well as groups of far-right football hooligans.

The battalion’s co-founder is prominent Ukrainian nationalist and white supremacist Andrey Biletsky.

Azov has been accused of committing war crimes in Donbass during the course of the armed conflict there that started in 2014. It has been formally designated a terrorist organization by Russian authorities.

In early 2023, Biletsky set up the 3rd Assault Brigade, which is made up of numerous Azov members. This unit has since attempted to water down its far-right imagery, even staging a public-relations tour across Europe this summer.

However, the Ukrainian brigade had to cancel planned events in such cities as Berlin, Rotterdam, Brussels and Cologne amid a backlash from local left-wing activists and politicians.

Commenting on the unit’s PR exercise, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called it a “disgusting phenomenon.”