Russia-Ukraine conflict: From making Molotov cocktails to taking up arms, how Ukraine’s every man is standing up to Russian troops

Ordinary citizens all over Ukraine are taking up arms in the fight against Russian forces as they close in on the capital city following four days of heavy attacks and hundreds of casualties.

The civilians are turning into everyday heroes by putting up a stubborn resistance to the Russian invasion so far – despite being heavily mismatched in terms of military might.

It is important to note here that Ukraine has 196,600 active military personnel, whereas the Vladimir Putin-led country has around 900,000 active military personnel and two million reservists.

Nevertheless, the Ukrainians are refusing to give in, and digging in — taking up arms, making Molotov cocktails in their gardens, pushing back tanks with their bare hands.

Molotov cocktails

After Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the citizens to defend the country, the the Ministry of Defence took to social media urging the civilians to make Molotov cocktails to neutralise the occupier.

In a post from the verified Twitter page of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, it said: ‘In Obolon… We ask citizens to inform about the movement of equipment! ‘Make Molotov cocktails, neutralise the occupier! Peaceful residents - be careful! Do not leave the house!’

❗️увага

На Оболоні ворожа ДРГ.
Просимо громадян повідомляти про пересування техніки!
Виготовляти коктейлі «Молотова», знешкоджувати окупанта!
Мирним мешканцям - бути обережними! Не покидати оселі!

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 25, 2022

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For the unversed, Molotov cocktails are petrol bombs which can be made comparatively easily. A glass bottle containing petrol or any inflammable substance such as alcohol used to create fire on a target is what a Molotov cocktail is.

Videos have started making the rounds on social media showing residents defending their independence against Russian troops with their newly minted weapons.

People throwing Molotov at Russian tanks at night in Kiev, Ukraine #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/uYbI8mpDci

— KASİDE (@zakkumec) February 26, 2022

People in Odesa, #Ukraine are preparing Molotov cocktails to defend their city from Russian invaders. pic.twitter.com/0QN9Mlwat8

— Ostap Yarysh (@OstapYarysh) February 28, 2022

News agency AFP reported that in Ukraine’s main city Lviv, employees at the Pravda brewery have responded to the Russian invasion by switching from producing beer to Molotov cocktails.

Yuriy Zastavny, the owner of the brewery, was quoted as saying, “We do this because someone has to. We have the skills, we went through a street revolution in 2014.”

Taking up arms

Besides building Molotov cocktails, Ukrainian political leaders and ordinary citizens alike are taking up arms to defend their homeland against Russia’s invasion this week.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said on Thursday that the government would hand out weapons to anyone willing to take up arms.

And by Friday, Ukrainian officials had already handed out 18,000 guns, according to the BBC.

Kira Rudik, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, posted multiple pictures of herself with guns, saying that “[women] will protect our soil the same way as our [men].”

“I planned to plant tulips and daffodils on my backyard today,” Rudik tweeted on Saturday. “Instead, I learn to fire arms and get ready for the next night of attacks on [Kyiv] … We are not going anywhere. This is our [city], our [land], our soil. We will fight for it.”

I learn to use #Kalashnikov and prepare to bear arms. It sounds surreal as just a few days ago it would never come to my mind. Our #women will protect our soil the same way as our #men. Go #Ukraine! 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/UbF4JRGlcy

— Kira Rudik (@kiraincongress) February 25, 2022

Former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said that he would stay and fight. His brother and fellow heavyweight boxing champion, Wladimir Klitschko, enrolled in Ukraine’s reserve army as the country braced for the Russian invasion.

We defend our city! They try to destroy Kyiv and our countr! We must endure!Glory to Ukraine!

— Віталій Кличко (@Vitaliy_Klychko) February 26, 2022

Twitter was also abuzz with images of former Miss Grand Ukraine holding up a rifle. Anastasiia Lenna, who represented her country in the 2015 Miss Grand International beauty contest, has joined the army to fight against the Russian invasion.

Lenna shared pictures of her wielding a gun with the hashtags ‘#standwithukraine’, ‘#handsoffukraine’. She also said, “Everyone who crosses the Ukrainian border with the intent to invade will be killed! (sic)”

Blowing up a bridge

According to reported information, one Ukrainian sailor, Vitaly Skakun, is said to have blown himself up with a bridge to prevent Russian forces from advancing further. As per a Buzzfeed report, the 25-year sailor volunteered to place mines on the bridge on 24 February but did not have time to leave. The statement said that he significantly helped to slow Russian forces and allowed the unit to move and reorganise its defenses.

Another example of courage in the face of adversity is that of a man standing in front of an approaching Russian tank. The 30-second clip, shared by Ukrainian news outlet HB, shows a man standing in front of what appear to be military vehicles. As the vehicles try to swerve around him, the man jockeys to the side, seemingly in an attempt to block their progress.

✊🏻Українець кидається під ворожу техніку, щоб окупанти не проїхали pic.twitter.com/cZ29kknqhB

— NV (@tweetsNV) February 25, 2022

The video sparked comparisons to the photo of a man standing down a line of four Chinese tanks in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

With inputs from agencies

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