Ukraine: how civilians prepare for a possible Russian attack
Soldiers rehearsing parade in Kramatorsk on December 5, 2021, the eve of Ukrainian Armed Forces Day AP - Andriy Andriyenko
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
A week of all dangers begins between Ukraine and Russia, while an imminent discussion is expected, no doubt Tuesday, December 7, between Vladimir Poutin and Joe Biden.
It will relate in particular to the presumed inclinations of Russia to invade Ukraine.
Meanwhile, around Kiev, civilians are bracing for the possibility of a massive Russian military attack on major Ukrainian cities.
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With our correspondent in Kiev,
Stéphane Siohan
Every weekend, dozens of men and women meet on an abandoned construction site, in the forest, at the gates of Kiev.
In uniform, with dummy weapons, they train in counterinsurgency warfare tactics,
in the event of an attack by the Russian army on Ukraine
.
The Kiev Territorial Defense battalion officially has 550 members, but its officers estimate that it can mobilize more than 2,000 reservists in the event of an alert.
All are civilians
: some are veterans of the Donbass war, others are neophytes, but all, like Vassili, 28, a business leader, wish to defend their country.
“
The Russians must be prepared to be shot from all angles, and from every house.
Everything will be undermined.
It will be easy to come here, but they will come out in coffins and they will leave their planes, their artillery, their tanks here, which are said to be so numerous.
63% of Ukrainians are ready to take up arms to defend their country.
The Russians must expect something very unpleasant here.
"
► To read also: Ukraine: Russian-American face-to-face tense before an upcoming dialogue between Putin and Biden
The Ukrainian army is 300,000 strong, of which about a third are mobilized on the front line of Donbass.
However, the country also has a shadow army: 430,000 veterans, who have been in the military ranks for seven years, and now a Civilian Territorial Defense of around 80,000 citizens.
The State wishes to organize an auxiliary force for the army, on the Polish and Lithuanian model.
The goal is to be able to face a stronger army on paper.
Faced with recurring threats from the Russian Federation, more and more Ukrainians are reminded of historical traditions, the legacy of the Cossacks, and partisan warfare.
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Ukraine
Russia
Vladimir Poutine
Volodymyr Zelensky
Joe biden
Nato