A 79-year-old Ukrainian great-grandmother who participated in civilian combat training in Ukraine was showered with acclaim today as the country braced for the Russian invasion. Valentyna Konstantynovska was taught how to operate an AK-47 assault rifle yesterday in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, by the country’s national guard.
She was instructed how to fire the gun during a civilian training exercise by the Special Forces Unit Azov — which has previously faced claims from Western media that it is a neo-Nazi squad. It is one of the countless drills held around the country in preparation for the ‘imminent’ Russian invasion. Ukrainians hailed Ms. Konstantynovska as a ‘hero’ for participating in the drills, which included youngsters as young as four.
“I don’t want to lose my country, my city”, Ukrainian Woman
Russia has denied any invasion intentions, but it has stationed over 100,000 soldiers along the Ukrainian border and has dispatched additional troops to neighbor Belarus for training. The US has stated that the scope of the build-up has enabled Russia to invade Ukraine within days, a threat that prompted numerous countries to advise their residents and ambassadors to evacuate.
According to Kyrylo Berkal, a member of the special forces team, informing diplomats to leave Ukraine was the correct move because the situation could be “hazardous for them.” He stressed, however, that Ukrainians need not fear, as their allies will still assist them. “My message is that we must intensify our efforts to avert a Russian invasion,” he added.