As Russian troops advanced toward Kiev, ukrainians throughout the country were called upon by the government to fight in any way possible, according to foreign media reports. Former president, mayor of Kiev, boxer, newlyweds, mother of three... Many Ukrainians took up arms. This marks the emergence of a scene of mobilizing civilians for war that has not been seen in Europe for decades, and it also shows that the Ukrainian government has no choice.
"Any government that has other viable options will not use this strategy because it poses too many risks." Dylan Lelker, senior analyst at Janes, a defense intelligence center for global open resources, said.
Volunteers took up arms to guard a main road leading to Kiev
Europe has not seen in decades:
The president, the mayor, the civilians all took up arms
On the morning of February 25, local time, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy denounced "those forces in the world watching the battle from a distance" and also called on Ukrainians to "stop the enemy wherever you see" and "ukraine's fate depends on the Ukrainians." ”
It is reported that Ukraine's army is much smaller than Russia's, with less than 200,000 active personnel, and a certain size of reserve, including a new branch of civilians, attracting recruits from different places and of all ages. Ukrainian Defense Minister Reznikov said this week that anyone who can take up arms should join the border guards. "We've simplified all the procedures." Leznikov told Ukrainians on social media on Feb. 24 that they only need to hold passports to enlist in the army.
According to the Ukrainian government, it has distributed about 18,000 weapons to the population in the Kiev region, calling on civilians to find their own weapons and make their own "Molotov cocktails" – an indigenous incendiary bomb from the former Soviet Union. At the country's border, Ukrainian soldiers stopped vehicles and looked for men in the 18- to 60-year-old age who could fight.
Ukrainian civilians participate in armed training
In fact, anyone who wants to fight for Ukraine is welcome. Zelenskiy said in a video statement on Feb. 25: "If you have experience fighting in Europe, come to our country and defend Europe side by side with us." ”
On the same day, former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had taken to the streets with an AK-47. He showed the media his weapons, but also said his civil defense group didn't have enough weapons to recruit more. The former president, who served from 2014 to 2019, said the number of those trying to enlist was "proof of how much Ukrainians hate Putin and how we fight against Russian aggression."
Those who took up arms also included the mayor of Kiev, Vitaly Klitschenko. The former Free Fight World Champion said he was organizing volunteers with military backgrounds to form a "border force" and that "we are ready to defend our city if necessary." His brother Vladimir Krychchenko, a heavyweight champion and "boxer," also fought alongside him.
Marta Yuzkov prepares to leave 3 children away from home to fight
Faced with the threat of Russian invasion, a Ukrainian couple advanced the planned wedding and took up arms together the next day. Marta Yuzkov is a doctor and mother of three children. On the 24th, the mother packed her gear and prepared to leave the children behind and fight away from home.
This marks the emergence of a mobilization of civilians for war that europe has not seen in decades.
Ukraine has no choice
Mobilizing civilians into battle is a double-edged sword
Ukraine also has a number of paramilitary groups, including the Azov movement and the Right Sector. The two organizations have previously conducted armed training for volunteers.
But many Ukrainians fighting Russian troops have little contact with paramilitary groups. During the conflict, Ukrainians were also called upon to donate blood to help the government carry out cyberattacks. Ukraine's Defense Ministry and National Guard also took to social media to call on people to remove the markings on the roads that Russian troops used to navigate.
The whole ukrainian population mobilized to participate in the war
Dylan Lelker, a senior analyst at Janes, a defense intelligence center for global open resources, said Ukraine's emphasis on popular mobilization showed that the war had entered the next phase, in which arming civilians would increase the "fog and friction" of Russian military operations.
Is this a grassroots torrent that could really help Ukraine fight back, or is it more akin to a tragic backwater battle?
"Any government that has other viable options will not use this strategy because it poses too many risks." Lelke argues that there is evidence that Ukraine has made plans for the likelihood of the current situation, but the real implementation of this strategy may be a reflection of "how desperate the situation has become."
Lelkhai warned that arming civilians could become a double-edged sword because civilians could lose the protection of international law. Russia is also more likely to attack those civilians, "which eliminates the boundaries between combatants and non-combatants and increases the risk to civilians." ”
Red Star News reporter Lin Rong
Edited by Pan Li
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