LIVE UPDATES - Ukrainian ‘Commander’ Shown With ISIS Patch

A Ukrainian commander of a unit aka Kurt (right) speaks to his comrades during planning morning operation at the frontline in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. © AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

The Associated Press (AP) has released a series of photographs as well as a video clip purportedly showing several Kiev fighters on the frontline in the Donetsk region. One of the soldiers, identified by the outlet as a Ukrainian unit commander by the name of Kurt, can be seen wearing an ISIS (Islamic State) insignia on his left arm.

This isn’t the first time Kiev’s servicemen and paramilitaries have been caught on camera wearing extremist insignia, with many displayed sporting Nazi tattoos or patches.

Russian mortar crew with the help of an accurate strike of incendiary mines burned down a Ukrainian checkpoint near Avdiivka

In fact, these have often been personally associated with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. Earlier this week, he published several photos of Kiev’s soldiers on his Instagram account. One of the images featured a serviceman resting in a trench while wearing a ‘totenkopf’ (death’s head) skull patch – a symbol of the 3rd SS Tank Division, infamous for massacring civilians in France and the Eastern Front, including Polish Jews.

In May, Zelensky also shared an image of a soldier with a similar skull-head patch, but later deleted it. In October, he was photographed on a visit to the frontline while being surrounded by security guards wearing the same insignia.

Zelensky shares photo of Ukrainian soldier with Nazi insignia, againREAD MORE Zelensky shares photo of Ukrainian soldier with Nazi insignia, again Kiev has denied the presence of any neo-Nazi elements in the country’s military, bluntly dismissing such assertions as “Russian propaganda.”

Moscow, however, has repeatedly pointed to the fact that Kiev openly welcomes fighters with radical nationalistic and neo-Nazi views. One such example is the incorporation of the infamous Azov Regiment – which openly uses the SS-affiliated wolfsangel (wolf’s hook) rune as its official symbol – into Ukraine’s National Guard.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained that the “denazification” is one of the primary reasons Moscow ultimately decided to launch its military operation in Ukraine in late February of 2022.

Arestovich said that those in Ukraine who consider Russian "the language of the aggressor" have all the signs of a severe mental disorder.

The crew of the Russian T-72 tank daily attacks the positions of Ukrainian militants in the Zaporozhye direction 3-4 times a day, the crew commander of the combat vehicle told RIA Novosti

NATO countries want to transfer tanks to Ukraine in sufficient quantities to form several brigades, said Polish President Duda

Switzerland will impose a price limit on Russian oil products today, the Ministry of Economy said.

Russia requested a meeting of the UN Security Council on February 22 in connection with the undermining of the Nord Stream, the Russian permanent mission reported.

Hungary and Romania initiated an appeal to the Venice Commission to resolve the issue of the status of national minorities in Ukraine.

The Commission analyzes the laws of the member states. A decision on the current appeal is expected by June, Hungary hopes that Kyiv will be forced to comply with it, Foreign Minister Szijjarto said.

Budapest has repeatedly criticized Kyiv for the oppression of the national minority in Transcarpathia, even stated that it would not ratify Ukraine's membership in the EU until this issue was resolved.

The latest reconnaissance complex capable of detecting and identifying a person at a distance of 18 km using a laser beam has been developed in Russia, a source in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti

"A laser is directed, reflected, returned, fixed. A person is identified at a distance of up to 18 km"

The complex is part of a new reconnaissance vehicle on the Typhoon-VDV chassis, which was developed in the interests of the Special Operations Forces.

Special operation, February 15th. Main:

▪️ The "Southern" group of troops of the Russian Armed Forces destroyed up to 190 Ukrainian military in the Donetsk direction, as well as eight pieces of equipment, including one American M777 howitzer, the Russian Defense Ministry reported;

Prigogine explained the importance of Artemivsk (Bakhmut): it is needed to paralyze the Ukrainian army there, and it is paralyzed there

▪️ The grouping of troops of the Russian Armed Forces "Vostok" destroyed more than 60 Ukrainian military and 11 pieces of equipment in a day, including in the area of Vogledar;

▪️ The United States, together with its allies, sees its task in giving Ukraine everything necessary for a "decisive" success in the expected spring counteroffensive, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said;

▪️ Borrell told MEPs that he "does not understand" those who want to stop military supplies to Ukraine in order to achieve peace. He urged European countries to transfer their "dusty" tanks in warehouses to Ukraine and do it as soon as possible;

▪️ At the same time, Borrell said that the supply of arms and diplomatic efforts in Ukraine can occur in parallel;

▪️ The production of a 120-millimeter mine has become the first product of joint cooperation between NATO and Ukraine, the supply of mines to the Ukrainian army is expected soon, Ukroboronprom spokeswoman Natalya Sad said;

▪️ Polish President Duda said that NATO countries want to transfer tanks to Ukraine in sufficient quantities to form several brigades;

▪️ German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck believes that the decision to supply Ukraine with Leopard tanks was made "a little late".