Ukrainian children as young as four put through their military paces
Ukrainian children as young as four are put through their paces at a military training camp in race to defend their borders from Russian invasion
- Young and old trained at an intensive volunteer boot camp in snowy woods
- Ukraine’s is intensifying its defensive efforts to push back a Russian invasion
- The country is currently facing 126,000 Russian troops on its eastern flank
Schoolchildren as young as four were put through their paces at a military training camp near Kyiv today as Ukraine’s defensive efforts intensified efforts to push back a Russian invasion.
An intensive volunteer boot camp in snow-covered woods outside the capital saw young and old introduced to the rudiments of military skills.
Twin brothers Taras and Bohdan, four, played with wooden assault rifles as men and women in the background prepared for real-life warfare against Russia.
The boys’ mother Iryna, 35, said: ‘I don’t think they understand the war and what is happening but they love everything to do with the military.
‘If they want to be soldiers when they grow up and fight to defend their homeland I will not stop them.’
She smiled and added: ‘But for now they want to be a fireman and a policeman.’
Schoolchildren as young as four were put through their paces at a military training camp near Kyiv today
Twin brothers Taras and Bohdan, four, played with wooden assault rifles as men and women in the background prepared for real-life warfare against Russia
Student Yana Komush, 20, does the splits whille taking up fighting position with her AK-47
Taras’s and Bohdan’s mother Iryna, 35, said: ‘I don’t think they understand the war and what is happening but they love everything to do with the military’
Iryna’s uncle fought with the Ukrainian Army and died in an explosion during a battle at Debaltseve, Donbas, an area now controlled by Russian separatists.
She noted poignantly: ‘We did not get his whole body back.’
Another boy, Yaroslav Pikaliyk, 10, went through drills as his war widow mother said: ‘If he fights for Ukraine one day, I will be very proud of him.’
Standing by his mother Tetiana, 35, Yaroslav said shyly: ‘I am with my mum today. Maybe I will one day, probably, I don’t know.’
Yaroslav stood proudly with adults training for Kyiv’s Territorial Defence Force, wielding his wooden effigy assault rifle.
The would-be recruits were hoping to join Kyiv’s 127 Battalion of the Territorial Defence Force, and were at varying stages in their training.
Twin four-year-old brothers Taras and Bohdan play with wooden AK-47s while adults train for real-life warfare
An intensive volunteer boot camp in snow-covered woods outside the capital saw young and old introduced to the rudiments of military skills
Yesterday Russia stepped up pressure on Ukraine, sending another 10,000 troops to annexed Crimea
The would-be recruits were hoping to join Kyiv’s 127 Battalion of the Territorial Defence Force, and were at varying stages in their training
The boy cannot sign up as a proper volunteer as he must be at least 18 years-old before he can be considered.
But civil servant Tetiana, from Kyiv, who preferred not to be pictured, said: ‘Yaroslav wanted to be here for training because his dad died five years ago.
‘He is the son of a man who gave his life for Ukraine and now it is good for him to have adult male influence and be here today.’
She explained that Yaroslav’s hero father Oleg died aged 38 as a volunteer driver supplying the Ukrainian army as they fought separatists five years ago.
He had a heart attack after suffering shock during a horror incident in the fighting – but she is left without a war widow pension as he was not in the regular army.
Adults train for Kyiv’s Territorial Defence Force at a military training camp outside Kyiv, Ukraine, this morning
Now Yaroslav idolises his 77-year-old grandfather — a decorated colonel who fought with the Soviets in Afghanistan — and wants to follow him into military service — though as things stand, the boy would far more likely be fighting against Russians than alongside them.
University student Yana Komush, 20, was dressed more for a club night out in skin-tight leather trousers as she did the splits, taking up a fighting position with her AK-47.
She said: ‘I dress for comfort and I have my own style – but I take this very seriously and want to help defend Ukraine and do what I can.
‘It can be fun being here but this is actually really very serious.’
Asked if she would kill to defend Ukraine she said: ‘It’s not something I particularly want to do but if I have to do it, of course I will do it.’
Ukraine is facing 126,000 Russian troops on its eastern flank and 80,000 Russian and Belarusian troops to the north over the border
Saturday morning volunteers turn up for military training at a camp just outside the Kyiv in Ukraine
Volunteers Sophia, 19, and Vadym, 19, have been dating for six months but are also ready fight with the Ukrainian civilian troops.
Vadym, wielding his new wooden ‘rifle’, said he didn’t think of it as fighting for Ukraine, adding: ‘I don’t see it that way – I am willing to defend Ukraine. That is how I look at it.’
Yesterday Russia stepped up pressure on Ukraine, sending another 10,000 troops to annexed Crimea.
Worrying satellite imagery analysed by IS intelligence showed Russia had further built up his force.
Ukraine is facing 126,000 Russian troops on its eastern flank and 80,000 Russian and Belarusian troops to the north over the border.
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