Ukrainian citizens arm up to confront Russian army in a blow to Putin

As the war in Ukraine drags into its fourth year, many Ukrainian citizens are taking matters into their own hands—purchasing firearms and training at shooting ranges to prepare for the possibility of direct confrontation with Russian forces.

Among them is Evgeniy Vlasenko, 34, who recently bought a handgun and now spends time at a local shooting range to both train and decompress.

“I come here because of the war. We have a cursed neighbor who comes and kills us,” he told The Daily Express. “I periodically bring friends here, many of whom have never shot before. It’s emotionally relaxing,” he added.

In a bold move to encourage citizen defense, Ukraine recently passed a law offering financial rewards to any civilian who successfully brings down Russian drones—by any means necessary.

Georgiy Uchaykin, a prominent advocate for gun rights in Ukraine, credited armed civilians with playing a crucial role in halting Russian advances early in the war.

“The country was saved by gun owners. All of us came out with our own weapons when the state didn’t have time to act, and there were hundreds of thousands of us across the country,” he said.

Despite ongoing fighting and heavy casualties on both sides, peace talks between Ukraine and Russia remain at a standstill.

(QG - Source: The Daily Express - Picture : © Unsplash)