Regularizes the so-called “Territory Defense Forces”, a group of ordinary citizens who would be called up in the event of a Russian invasion
If there is an attack on Kiev, the troops that are deployed in the Donbass region fighting Russian separatists will not be able to come quickly. In 2014 we were already surprised in Crimea. We have to be prepared to be able to defend the capital and we need more soldiers.” This phrase has not been uttered by a high command of the Ukrainian Army. It bears the signature of Irina Sergeeva, a petite 39-year-old mother of 3 children who makes her living organizing events and public relations.
Irina is one of the coordinators of the so-called “Territory Defense Forces”. It is a series of groups of civilians trained by the military that emerged about four years ago unofficially. They were born as a consequence of the invasion of Crimea and the start of the Donbass war. Until just a few weeks ago, these groups were practically unknown among the majority of the population. But all this has changed dramatically in recent days.
In the midst of an escalation of pre-war tension between Ukraine and Russia, with tens of thousands of Russian soldiers stationed on the border, the Ukrainian government has just approved this month regulations to regularize the so-called Territory Defense Forces. “Until recently, all attention was focused on the border. But the authorities have understood that the threat to the big cities is a reality”, emphasizes Irina.
A determining factor is the absolute imbalance of forces between the two armies. Analysts estimate that Russian troops can at least double the strength of their opponents. In this context, the Government of Ukraine considers that any help is welcome, that it is time to turn to civilians. “We live in an exceptional situation. Let us hope that the United States and the European Union will help us. But we cannot depend on anyone. We are the ones who have to defend our house, “he adds.
THE KEYS:
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Weekend courses.
They receive basic military training and would only be called up in the event of an invasion. -
Irina Sergeyeva.
“We live in an exceptional situation. We cannot depend on anyone. We are the ones who defend our home» -
Women’s guard.
Some 30,000 women have received some form of training
With the entry into force of the new law, professional soldiers can also be assigned to these groups. But its germ -and the vast majority of its components- are civilians. Volunteers who are given a military uniform and receive basic instruction during some holidays. During the week they continue with their normal lives. «There are doctors, masons, engineers, bankers, film producers…». People of all kinds who have some traits in common: a marked patriotism and their strong support for the pro-European Maidan protests, which in 2014 led to the fall of President Viktor Yanukovych.
The children have begun to receive training to be able to identify bombs. /
In a few days of instruction, civilians are taught how to handle weapons, trained in military tactics and provided with basic medical knowledge, among other things. Once they have received these lessons, and if they are in good health, they become a kind of reserve soldier. Then they must sign a contract that establishes that they can be mobilized in the event of an attack. These groups already have numerous weapons that would be provided to civilians in case of need.
“Just getting started”
Irina coordinates one of the many groups in Kiev (Kyiv, for the Ukrainians). She started training on her own in 2015. She bought a gun and received some military training. Seven years later he is a kind of official and controls a hundred people, among whom there are “many women.” Among its tasks is to check that they are healthy and try to facilitate training. He says he cannot disclose the total troop number for security reasons. He recognizes that they have a presence above all in the capital. But he affirms that “they have only just begun” and trusts that the movement will grow exponentially in the coming months. “I am encouraging my 17-year-old son to go,” he says.
Oleksandr Biletskyi is one of the forerunners of these “resistance” initiatives. He and his wife have been “working” in this field for a long time. A few years ago he was a representative of the pro-European movement in Ukraine. But now the focus is on other matters. His only objective – he insists – is to “defend” the territory from external aggression. “We have been in a war situation for eight years. We are used to it and we just want to prepare ourselves,” he says.
His wife, Olena Biletska, is also part of another group aimed at women. It is called the ‘Ukrainian Women’s Guard’ and they have been operating since 2014. The goal is similar. Instruct volunteers in basic medicine, shooting, psychological training and self-defense. They are also dedicated to supporting wives of war veterans and widows of victims. According to Oleksandr, some 30,000 Ukrainian women have already received some kind of education throughout the country.
lessons at the institute
In this same open pre-war climate, police and emergency responders have begun holding classes in high schools to teach students some basics about explosives. This Thursday they released some images of teenagers surrounded by mines and rockets. The idea is to give them knowledge on what to do in the event that they come across suspicious objects.