Complaint
A viewer complained a that report detailing preparations for war in Ukraine failed to highlight the wearing neo-Nazi symbols by some of the men seen training civilians.
Outcome
This was a brief report on a nation preparing for war and the fact that civilians were readying themselves by training in weaponry. In the ECU鈥檚 view the extent to which viewers would look to it for details of the ideologies associated with the symbols worn by some of those seen in the footage, or the presence of extremist elements in Ukraine鈥檚 forces more generally, was accordingly limited.
It also noted that while the roots of the Azov Battalion, which featured in the report, are certainly in far-right extremism, its current leadership has disavowed any connection with the political position of its founder, and President Zelensky has said those with political aims are no longer part of the group, which is now part of the armed forces of the nation. 聽The existence of imagery or insignia, such as that cited by the complainant, did not therefore amount to evidence that as currently constituted the group are Nazis.
The complainant also suggested the use of Nazi symbols was significant in light of Russia鈥檚 claims to be 鈥渄别苍补锄颈蹿测颈苍驳鈥 the country. 聽However the ECU did not agree that Russian propaganda aimed at justifying the invasion meant the significance of such insignia must be explored on every occasion, and noted the issue had been covered in some detail elsewhere on the 大象传媒.
Not Upheld
听听