A Ukrainian mother-of-three has been pictured arming herself with a huge rifle as thousands of the nation’s civilians prepare for the prospect of a Russian invasion.
Mariana Zhaglo is far from a typical Ukrainian soldier, but the 52-year-old marketing researcher has said she is willing to do whatever it takes to defend her country.
‘As a mother I do not want my children to inherit Ukraine’s problems, or have these threats passed on to them. It is better that I deal with this now,’ Mariana said.
‘If it comes to it then we will fight for Kiev; we will fight to protect our city. If there is a need for the shooting to start, then I’ll start shooting,’ the mother continued, as she showed off her newly-bought Zbroyar Z-15 rifle in her flat in the Ukrainian capital.
She went on to explain that the Zbroyar Z-15 is a hunting rifle, but that she has no intentions of hunting.
‘I have never hunted in my life. I bought this carbine after listening to some soldiers discussing the best rifle to get,’ Mariana told The Times.
The marketing research is just one of thousands of Ukrainians who recently joined the nation’s Territorial Defence Forces (TDF) – a voluntary section of the army which has seen its numbers swell amid rising tensions on the Russian border.
It comes as French President Emmanuel Macron today became the latest Western leader to promise a ‘retaliation’ should Russia proceed with an invasion of its neighbour.
‘If there is an attack, there will be retaliation and the price (for Russia) will be very high,’ Macron said, urging Russia to de-escalate.
Russia meanwhile maintains that there is no plan to invade Ukraine and has accused NATO and the West of escalating tensions in the region.
Mariana Zhaglo is far from a typical Ukrainian soldier, but the 52-year-old marketing researcher has said she is willing to do whatever it takes to defend her country. ‘As a mother I do not want my children to inherit Ukraine’s problems, or have these threats passed on to them. It is better that I deal with this now,’ Mariana said as she showed off her newly-bought Zbroyar Z-15 rifle in her flat in the Ukrainian capital
Employees of essential city industries and services attend a military training session outside Lviv, Ukraine January 25, 2022
The marketing research is just one of thousands of Ukrainians who recently joined the nation’s Territorial Defence Forces (TDF) – a voluntary section of the army which has seen its numbers swell amid rising tensions on the Russian border.
Civilians, including Tatiana (L), 21, a university veterinary medicine student who is also enrolled in a military reserve program, participate in a Kiev Territorial Defence unit training on a Saturday in a forest on January 22, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron today became the latest Western leader to issue a warning to Russia should it decide to invade Ukraine
Russia meanwhile has maintained it has no plans for an invasion and has accused NATO and the West of stoking tensions
The hunting rifle wasn’t a one-off purchase for Mariana.
In addition to dropping over £950 on the weapon, she also attended a two-week sniper course and had several attachments fitted – including a bipod, a telescopic sight and a silencer – to ensure she could be as lethal as possible.
Mariana went on to spend another £830 on military garb – a helmet, snow camouflage, bulletproof vest, ammo and boots – and has stocked up on canned goods so she can remain holed up in the apartment for weeks.
But the 52-year-old is just one of thousands of civilians, from veterinary medical students to architects, who have joined the TDF – Ukraine’s army reserves – to be trained for armed conflict.
The Kiev branch of the TDF ran a training exercise over the weekend in the snow covered forests outside the capital, while scores of civilians across the country – many of them young – have signed up to similar training programs to receive basic combat skills.
In the event of a potential invasion by Russia, these youngsters will be part of the country’s civil resistance that will carry on the fight against Russian soldiers if Ukraine’s 255,000-strong regular army is overwhelmed.
Young men and women, some as young as 21, have been taking part in Kiev Territorial Defence unit training over the weekend in a snow-covered forest in the capital, as they prepare for a possible conflict with Moscow
Civilians participate in TDF training in a forest outside Kiev on January 22, 2022. In the event of a potential invasion by Russia, these youngsters will be part of the country’s civil resistance that will carry on the fight against Russian soldiers if Ukraine’s 255,000-strong regular army is overwhelmed.
The region has been on a knife-edge since the end of last year when Moscow moved as many as 100,000 troops, as well as tanks and missiles, close to its border with Ukraine, but tensions have ramped up in recent days after a surge in equipment and troop movements, among them military police, from the extreme east of Russia.
Mariana told The Times that many Ukrainians have learned to live with the threat of a potential invasion ever since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, and said it is not unusual for Russia to intermittently increase troop deployments near the border.
But she remained resolute in her intention to remain in the capital and fight in the event of an invasion.
‘Neither my husband nor I have any living relatives elsewhere, we have nowhere else to go. This is our home. We will fight for it,’ she declared.
Mariana’s defiance comes as French President Emmanuel Macron became the latest Western leader to promise ‘retaliation’ if Russia goes on to invade Ukraine.
Speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier today, Macron said: ‘If there is an attack, there will be retaliation and the price (for Russia) will be very high.’
Macron also said he would seek clarification over Russia’s intentions towards Ukraine in a scheduled phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, two days after political advisers from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany are expected to meet for talks in Paris tomorrow.
Macron said he hoped his telephone call with Putin on Friday would yield a ‘demanding dialogue and obtain clarifications’.
Though Chancellor Scholz echoed Macron’s support for Ukraine, Berlin has thus far refused to provide weapons shipments to the eastern European country in the face of a potential Russian attack.
‘We have done a great deal to actively support economic development and democratic development in Ukraine,’ Scholz said, adding that Germany ‘feels responsible for ensuring that Ukraine remains a (gas) transit country.’
Though Germany has long maintained a policy of refusing to send arms to conflict zones, there are speculations that Scholz’s reluctance to match his NATO counterparts’ support of Ukraine comes as a result of Germany’s reliance on Russia for its gas supplies.
Many NATO countries are sending shipments of arms to Ukraine as fears mount over a potential Russian invasion of the eastern European country and NATO ally. Germany however has refused to send weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Senior Airman Cameron Manson inspects cargo netting on palletised ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine during a foreign military sales mission at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, January 24, 2022
Map showing points of origin and destination of the Nord Stream gas pipeline (solid line) and Nord Stream 2 pipeline (dotted line) between Russia and Germany. Germany depends on Russia for up to 40 per cent of its gas imports and the EU nation would struggle to find an alternative option should Russia retaliate in the face of strong economic sanctions following an invasion
Europe’s gas markets are linked by a network of interconnecting pipelines, and while some countries have cut their reliance on Russian gas over the years, many would be unable to satisfy demand should Russia decide to slash their supply.
Germany depends on Russia for up to 40 per cent of its gas imports and the EU nation would struggle to find an alternative option should Russia retaliate in the face of strong economic sanctions following an invasion.
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