What is Azov?

24 Січня, 2025
The 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov is a professional military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine established on May 5, 2014.

The 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov is a professional military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine established on May 5, 2014.

Azov’s ranks consist of volunteers committed to defending Ukraine against Russian invaders. Since the early months of the unit’s existence, foreign volunteers have joined Azov, helping to implement modern military standards within the unit. 

Azov participated in many large-scale campaigns during the Anti-Terrorist Operation/Joint Forces Operation period (from May 5, 2014, to February 23, 2022). The unit liberated Mariupol (June 2014) and Marinka (August 2014) and played a crucial role in the Pavlopil-Shyrokyne offensive operation (February 2015), one of the most successful military operations before the full-scale invasion.

After the so-called Minsk ceasefire agreements were signed in 2015, Azov continued its quantitative and qualitative development. Azov service members always knew that, sooner or later, an all-out war with Russia would break out. This awareness drove the unit to strive to become a role model for the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Specifically, this included becoming one of the first units in the country organized according to NATO military standards.

The 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov is a professional military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine established on May 5, 2014.

February 24, 2022, marked the beginning of the largest and one of the most significant battles for Azov: the world-famous 86-day defense of Mariupol. Alongside adjacent units, Azov fighters resisted the overwhelming forces of the Russian occupiers in complete encirclement. The fighter’s advanced training, which had prepared them for any battlefield scenarios, played a crucial role in the battle.

The 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov is a professional military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine established on May 5, 2014.

As a result, Mariupol’s defenders managed to hold off the enemy onslaught, destroying vast numbers of enemy personnel and equipment and giving the country a chance to deploy its military and fight back the aggressor.

Even after fierce battles and captivity, the unit recovered and continued to fight. In 2025, the 12th Azov Brigade is one of the most combat-effective units in the Defense Forces of Ukraine. The brigade maintains a high level of personnel training and remains efficient in both defensive and offensive operations.

Today, Azov is fighting in the Toretsk sector of Donetsk oblast. The brigade’s area of responsibility is located on the outskirts of New York, a town bearing the same name as the vast American metropolis.

The 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov is a professional military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine established on May 5, 2014.

Azov continues to grow. Every year, new Ukrainian and foreign volunteers join the unit. Recently, the Brigade formed the special International 3rd Battalion to streamline the command of volunteers from multiple countries and overcome language barriers between them.

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