The Azov battalion is a unit of the Ukrainian army which is associated with the far-right.

It is frequently name-checked by Russian officials who accuse it of violating the rules of war by firing from civilian areas and using non-combatants as human shields. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights accused members of the battalion of war crimes in the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine.

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Formed during the turmoil of 2014 when pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country broke away from control by Kyiv, the battalion was initially formed of volunteers connected with football fan groups. Praised within the country for its bravery, it was incorporated into the official military along with other volunteer units.

However, it has been controversial due to extreme far-right views espoused by some members including some of its leaders in interviews and on social media.

Before the latest stage of fighting, it was estimated to number up to 2,000 personnel out of a military of more than 200,000. Both numbers will have grown significantly as more civilians have been drafted into the army.

The group is linked to a political party, National Corps, which together with other far-right groups polled just over 2 percent in the 2019 elections, failing to gain a seat in the Ukrainian parliament.