According to "Russia Today" on February 14, some local media in Ukraine released photos of a 79-year-old woman named Valentina Konstantinovska receiving military training in Mariupol, Donetsk Prefecture, eastern Ukraine. In the photo, Konstantinovska was wearing a lemon-colored c

Pengpai News reporter Wang Zhuoyi

Russia-Ukrainian relations have been deteriorating recently. In order to deal with the potential Russian-Ukrainian conflict, a Ukrainian paramilitary group has organized civil defense training courses to guide Ukrainian civilians, including elderly women, how to deal with possible Russian "invasions".

According to "Russia Today" on February 14, some local media in Ukraine released photos of a 79-year-old woman named Valentyna Konstantinovska receiving military training in Mariupol City (controlled by the Ukrainian government) in eastern Ukraine. In the photo, Konstantinovska was wearing a lemon-colored coat and lying on a yoga mat to practice aiming with an AK-47 assault rifle. Konstantinovska said that if a war broke out in Russia and Ukraine, she would take up weapons to fight the Russian army to defend her city.

Valentina Konstantinovska received military training in Mariupol

Also, according to Al Jazeera on February 14, since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis in 2014, Konstantinovska and other members of a "Grandma Battalion" have begun military volunteer services. They dug trenches, provide supplies and medical services, and built a watchtower.

Valentina Konstantinovska received military training in Mariupol

This "old grandma battalion" is organized by the far-right wing paramilitary group "Azov" under the Ukrainian National Guard to provide elderly women with basic training in medical first aid, survival and evacuation, weapon safety and shooting. Local residents who participated in the training said it was the only safety training they had received during the conflict in nearly eight years.

Valentina Konstantinovska received military training in Mariupol

"Azov Camp" is a militia organization composed entirely of volunteers, accused of harboring neo-Nazism, extreme nationalism and white supremacy, such as the organization's logo is accused of similar to the logo of the 2nd Division of the Nazi German SS.

However, since the "Azov Camp" assisted the Ukrainian military in 2014 to recover Mariupol, an important port city from pro-Russian armed forces, some local people regard the "Azov Camp" as the defender of Mariupol. The "Azov Camp" has a camp 40 kilometers away from Mariupol. Once a war breaks out in Russia and Ukraine, this is the front line.

It is worth noting that Konstantinovska does not agree with the political views of the "Azov Camp". She believes that the only thing that resonates with her in the political proposition of the "Azov Camp" is to "defend the motherland", "We will stick to the end for Ukraine."

Because Russia has recently deployed a large number of military forces on the border between Russia and Ukraine, the United States, NATO , etc. say that Russia has "invaded". In response, Russia responded that NATO activities threatened its national security, and that Russia only mobilized its troops within its territory and hoped that the West would stop hyping up the Russian "invasion" theory.

Editor in charge: Hu Zhenqing Photo editor: Jin Jie

Proofreading: Zhang Yan