FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The Ukrainian town of Bucha, which became a symbol of Russian war crimes after occupation forces massacred hundreds of civilians there in early 2022, is today the base of a unique form of resistance. The recently created Territorial Voluntary Community began to recruit all the women known as "Witches" and "Valkiries" in mobile platoons. Reporters from the Ukrainian newspaper "Ukrainska Pravda" spoke to some of these women about their decision to grab their weapons, and what it's like to defend Ukraine's skies from Russian drones and missiles.
Olena
Originally from Lviv, Olena moved to Kyiv last year where she started working as a general practitioner in a clinic in Bucha. In June this year, while returning from celebrating her 26th birthday in Odesa with her friend Anhelina, she came across an Instagram post recruiting volunteers for the Bucha Territorial Community Formation.
Both she and Anhelina decided to enroll in the group called "Witches". Olena had long wanted to join the army. Her family has a long tradition in the military. Her great-grandfather had served in the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, and her great-grandmother was a liaison for them. Her godfather started taking her to the driving range when she was only 5 years old.
"At the training center, they let me shoot with a Broëning machine gun. I hit 11 aerial targets with 25 rounds. A great accuracy, and with a low use of ammunition. So the commander said "'You will have a machine gun!'" - she remembers. Olena says she aims to ensure people's safety so they can sleep peacefully. "My dream is for the war to end and for everyone to return from the front and captivity," she concludes.
Valentine
Valentina, a veterinarian by profession, was trapped by the Russian occupation in her home in the Kyiv region in February 2022. She witnessed the bombing of Hostomel airport and heavy shelling in Irpin and Bucha. After 3 weeks, he managed to escape with 7 other people, all packed into a car.
Two months ago, I joined the group "Bucha Valkyries". "My place is here. This fight will not end without us. It's time not to sit at home. We too can take up arms and defend our land, our community. Men go to the front, and we replace them here. And we are seeing that we are capable of doing this" - says Valentina with conviction.
Angeline
Originally from Lutsk, Anhelina worked as an anesthesiologist in Bucha. During the Russian occupation, she treated many wounded civilians in her operating room, including children. When a "green corridor" was opened, she was evacuated with her patients. In the volunteer territorial defense unit, she now drives a pick-up truck she calls "Broomstick".
At first he encountered difficulties, as he had no previous military experience. Her partner volunteered for the Ukrainian infantry at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. "He worries a lot about me, but he supports me. He writes to me: Be careful. When an alert ends, don't forget to let me know you're okay. He never tried to stop me from serving in the army. Because I know that we are both helping for the same cause" - says Anhelina. "Every time we shoot down a Shahed drone, it makes me happy and motivates me, because that drone will not hit someone's house," she adds.
Julia
Julia worked in a beauty salon in Kiev. On the fourth day of the Russian occupation, she fled to Poland with her child. But 3 months later it came back. "I really wanted to go home. Now, I can't even explain to myself why I left. It was a spontaneous decision, perhaps driven by emotion. I wanted to protect my child's mental health, but psychologically it was much worse there than at home," she says.
After returning, Julia joined the volunteer unit. Now she commands the "Valkyrie" group. "I'm always on the move. When I decided to join the army, my family and friends were not surprised because they know me well," she told reporters.
Julia admits that civilian life is more challenging than military life, as you are surrounded by people who do not feel the impact of war. "The boys go to the front and we stay here, protecting the sky, our children and the civilians behind us. And what can be more motivating than that?" she says.
* * *
In April this year, many of the men from the Bucha Territorial Community Voluntary Formation headed for the front line, leaving around 70 positions vacant. Two of the "witches" have also signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. One became a commander
fire support platoon in an assault battalion, while the other is training to be an officer, preparing to command 3 missile launch system crews.
"I noticed that the women who join us are sometimes even more motivated than the men," says Colonel Andrii Verlatyi, the 51-year-old chief of staff of Bucha's special unit.
"Many of them were mothers and caregivers before the war. Then those bastards came and ruined their lives. A strength awoke in them that was better left untouched. God willing, the Russians will not return! It wouldn't be good for them, as Ukrainian women are wilder than men!" - he emphasizes. /Adapted "Pamphlet" from "Meduza"
Lini një Përgjigje