In February 2023, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that Azov was to be expanded as a brigade of the new Offensive Guard. It was formally incorporated into the National Guard on 11 November 2014, and redesignated Special Operations Detachment 'Azov' ( Ukrainian: Окремий загін спеціального призначення «Азов», romanized: Okremyi zahin spetsialnoho pryznachennia 'Azov'), also known as the Azov Regiment ( Ukrainian: Полк «Азов», romanized: Polk 'Azov'). It was founded in May 2014 as the Azov Battalion ( Ukrainian: батальйон «Азов», romanized: Batalion 'Azov'), a volunteer paramilitary militia under the command of Andriy Biletsky to fight pro-Russian forces in the war in Donbas. The Azov Assault Brigade ( Ukrainian: Штурмова бригада «Азов», romanized: Shturmova bryhada 'Azov') is a formation of the National Guard of Ukraine formerly based in Mariupol, in the coastal region of the Sea of Azov, from which it derives its name.
