The US State Department has authorized the Azov Brigade to use American weapons, lifting a ban imposed about 10 years ago. The Washington Post reports.

The ban was imposed after the United States found that “some of its (Azov's) founders hold racist, xenophobic and ultranationalist views, and UN human rights officials have accused the group of humanitarian violations.”

But now this brigade will have access to the same US military aid as any other unit.

The State Department found “no evidence” of such violations, it said in a statement.

It is unclear when the ban was lifted and whether American weapons have reached Azov's personnel.

US officials say that the Azov battalion, which was created in 2014 and was banned, is structurally different from the brigade that is now part of the National Guard.

It should be reminded that the amendment to ban arming Azov was introduced in 2015 by Democratic Congressman John Conyers Jr. Referring to publications in the Western press, he stated that Azov (then a battalion) was characterized as “openly neo-Nazi.” In 2017, the amendment was approved. Azov denies the neo-Nazi accusations and calls them ‘Russian propaganda.’