The 3rd Assault Brigade has canceled events in Berlin, Rotterdam, Brussels and Cologne for “security reasons” after a public outcry
Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade, which has close ties to the Azov movement, a group labeled as neo-Nazi by many, has announced the cancellation of several events planned for European cities due to public backlash.
The brigade had originally announced plans for a tour visiting nine cities in Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania from July 21 to August 2.
The brigade’s aim was to share their experiences, offering insights into their service and the frontline realities of the conflict with Russia, and to garner support for Ukraine.
While the brigade managed to hold an event in Warsaw, other cities proved less welcoming. A welfare organization in Rotterdam, Wmo Radar, stated that due to “negative media attention,” they would no longer host the event. Local politicians voiced their disapproval, labeling the event as “undesirable” and lacking political neutrality.
Similarly, left-wing groups in Berlin expressed their intent to protest outside the hotel hosting the brigade. Politician Ferat Kocak declared that the German capital “does not need additional meeting points for the extreme right… no militaristic propaganda, not even under the guise of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.”
In the wake of this opposition, the 3rd Assault Brigade announced on Thursday that events in Berlin, Rotterdam, Brussels and Cologne would be canceled “for security reasons,” adding that they had no desire to “expose our people to threats.” However, the brigade confirmed that two meetings – in Prague and Vilnius – were still on the schedule.
The brigade also stated that the ticket price – approximately €20 – would be reimbursed and promised to “definitely meet and talk with Ukrainians in these cities another time.”
Commenting on the brigade’s European tour, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as “a disgusting phenomenon” and “an ugly display of the Kiev regime,” adding that the Ukrainian government has become “one of the cradles of the revival of Nazism on the European continent.”
Officially established in early 2023 and led by Ukrainian nationalist and white supremacist Andrey Biletsky, the 3rd Assault Brigade includes many members of the Azov Regiment, which has been accused of numerous war crimes during the fighting in Donbass that erupted following a Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014.