Civilian Defenders

From the BBC’s Breaking News Website:

“Women making firebombs to defend their city”

In the centre of this major Ukrainian city, we just found crowds of women crouched on the grass making Molotov cocktails. These are homemade weapons, to defend their homes and their streets in Dnipro against the advance of Russian troops.

There were teachers, lawyers and housewives surrounded by glass bottles, rags and fuel. They said they were trying not to think too hard about what they were actually doing because, as one woman told me, it was "too terrifying".

But they do want to be ready for anything. This city has not come under attack, but it’s already feeling the cost of this war. The military hospital has 400 beds, and they’re full of wounded soldiers from all over eastern Ukraine.

At its gates, there’s a stream of local people bringing medicine, bandages and syringes and nothing is refused. Round the corner, men were lining up - to sign up, to fight.

The people of this city are mobilising. But they all say it’s not because they wanted any of this; they’ve been left with no choice.

^ This is happening all over Ukraine. Ordinary Men, Women and Children are making Molotov Cocktails and other explosives to defend their towns, their cities, their homes, their families and themselves against the Russian Soldiers who are trying to kill them. ^