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The key bridge in Ukraine finally protected after major US weapons shipment arrivesThe US recently lifted a ban on providing weapons and training to the controversial Azov brigade - a

Ukrainian military unit that played a central role in the 2022 defence of Mariupol. By Rosie Jempson, US News Reporter 14:34, Sun, Jun 16, 2024 | UPDATED: 14:35, Sun, Jun 16, 2024 Share

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The US has lifted a long-standing ban on sending weapons to Ukraine's Azov Brigade after the battalion's founders were accused of having neo-Nazi sentiments.

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The week, the US State Department reversed a decision made back in 2014 to stop the Ukrainian brigade receiving American weapons.

It comes as Ukraine, despite a number of successes in the Black Sea against Russia's naval fleet, struggles to hold off increasing advances in eastern Ukraine.

Colonel Denys Prokopenko, Commander of Ukraine's National Guard's Azov Brigade, thanked US President Joe Biden's administration for lifting the ban on arms supplies to his brigade.

In a video address, Prokopenko said: "I would like to congratulate all the soldiers of the 12th Special Forces Brigade Azov and the entire civilised world on the victory over Russian

propaganda.

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"In Azov, we know that no matter how difficult [the] situation may seem, there is always a solution.

"The only question is the efforts we are ready to put in to overcome it, the coherence of [the] work and the professionalism of the team."

He continued: "These are the qualities that Azov servicemen demonstrate on the front line every day. They have also proved to be key in our unit's systematic work to unblock the transfer of

weapons and training from the United States to Azov.

"The Russian propaganda-induced ban, that had been in place since 2017, has been overcome. I thank the United States of America for their attentive review of this issue and the right

decision, which will qualitatively strengthen our unit and, with it, the entire defence and security forces of Ukraine."

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He also expressed his gratitude to the command of Ukraine's Interior Ministry, National Guard, and Ukrainian Embassy in the United States and to everyone who supported Azov.

Prokopenko, in a heartfelt message, declared: "You are all true friends of Azov, our reliable support. Azov will never forget [what] you did for us in these difficult times.

"We will justify the responsibility entrusted to us, and with our discipline, resilience and bravery in battle, we will prove the effectiveness of this decision.

"The colossal combat experience that all soldiers, sergeants and officers of Azov possess, combined with modern American weaponry, will become a deadly force for the enemy of Ukraine."