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Citizens adapt by making Molotov cocktails, spy-catching

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In the basement of a bomb shelter, volunteers make molotov cocktails.

Chris Mcgrath | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Mykola Tkachenko, 65, was taking his dog for a walk in Kyiv. It is part his responsibility as neighborhood watch.

He believed he had stumbled upon a Russian spy. 

Natasha Tkachenko, Natasha’s daughter told CNBC that her father found a saboteur yesterday not far from their house in a basement. “He claimed to be Ukrainian and spoke in a Russian accent but had no papers.” 

Natasha’s father and Natasha questioned him. He couldn’t even name one street in Kyiv nor any word of Ukraine’s national anthem. He was immediately turned over to police. 

Ukrainians from all walks of life – programmers, teachers, parents – have shifted into full wartime mode, making Molotov cocktails, camouflage tents, gathering supplies and money to send to their troops less than one week into Russia’s invasion of their country.

Natasha responded, “Working like hell,” when Natasha asked her how she was doing. Natasha stated that this is something she could not have imagined a week ago. It was her job as an artist curator in a gallery. “It’s hell in Kyiv.”

Territorial Defense Units volunteer make Molotov cocktails in defense of the Russian invading troops at Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday, February 26, 2022.

Marcus Yam | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

“Everybody I know — fellows, friends, relatives, anyone — they do at least something,” she said. We stand together, and each one is doing what they can right now. 

Unheated, underground parking lot in her building has become a makeshift bunker. She calls it the “Molotov Cocktail-making Department”, referring to homemade explosives made of glass bottles. While she is not building weapons and defensive equipment together with her parents she is teaching her little godson how to read in the bathroom. This space, which has no windows, makes it one of very few spaces that are relatively secure.  

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, declared a military operation on Feb. 23 to “demilitarize Ukraine”, a nation of 44 million and second in Europe. This after denials from Washington for many months. Moscow demanded repeatedly that Ukraine stop its ambition to join NATO. It considered this a security risk on the border. Putin also denied Ukraine’s legitimacy.

As air raid sirens rang out across Kyiv, Russian forces – which had amassed more than 150,000 along Ukraine’s borders in the previous months – invaded the country on multiple flanks. Putin claimed that only military installations would be attacked, however missiles and bombs were used to attack civilian infrastructure in several cities. 

Outmanned and outgunned

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government has refused to surrender, urging his population – which has been independent as a state for 30 years – to fight back. NATO has left Ukraine to take care of itself, despite being vastly outgunned and outmanned, and it’s not a signatory to the treaty alliance. However, the Ukraine’s military forces managed to stop the Russian offensive that aims at taking Kyiv. 

However, military experts predict that the war will shift to a more dangerous phase and they fear for greater civilian casualties.

In Kharkiv Ukraine (February 28, 2022), the Ukrainian national flag is displayed in front a school that was set on fire by shelling. This incident occurred as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.

Vitaliy Gnidyi | Reuters

“I have very small children. Yuriy Veselorsky, a 38 year-old business coach living in Chernihiv’s northern city, stated that “First of all I take care” of the children. He showed footage from several streets and buildings in his area that were bombed.

He stated, “We are here to support one another with food and other goods.” People form groups in order to defend their homes and yards. Veligorsky claims that he sends money together with his neighbours to Ukraine’s army, and local civil defense forces. “Tomorrow we will send power banks to our defenders,” Veligorsky said. He also stated that many people plan and communicate via social media networks, which continue to function as long as there is internet access in the region. 

According to him, people continue trying to remain calm amid all the bombings. Veligorsky stated that while we were afraid, they fear us more than ever, and was referring to Russian forces.

People support one another. However, I am afraid for my loved ones and children.” 

According to the Ukrainian government hundreds of civilians, soldiers, and other people have already been killed. It also claims that its forces have murdered several thousand Russian troops. CNBC cannot independently verify these figures as they can be difficult to confirm.

U.N. officials estimate that at most 800,000 Ukrainians are now refugees in the country. For the duration of martial law that is required, 18- to 60-year old men are forbidden from leaving the country. They must stay to fight.

Zelenskyy is encouraging citizens to stand up for their country and has issued firearms to anyone who is willing. These “territorial defence forces” have attracted thousands.  

“People help each other”

The account manager at Natasha’s art gallery has just joined the Ukrainian army – still training, but his squad is ready to fight, she said. 

Sergiy Maidukov, a fellow artist, is volunteering, delivering medicine and protective gear to the territorial defense crews in Kyiv – all while still working his normal job as a cover illustrator for Western magazines like the Guardian and the New Yorker.

Natasha explained that Natasha delivers helmets and vests during the day, while Natasha creates cover illustrations for Guardian. “I am speechless.”

Local employees of a digital marketing agency have been learning how to hack Russian organizations in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. To help import supplies, others have set up a logistic hub at the Polish border. Many psychotherapists in Kyiv volunteer their time to offer free treatment for the local defense forces.  

Interpipe, another manufacturer from the area, previously supplied pipes to utility systems. It is now using the pipes to make anti-tank barriers.  

Images show vacant shelves at Ukraine’s pharmacy and supermarkets. Long lines stretch outside along with the street. CNBC has heard residents say that calm is what people want. 

Natasha described a sense of unity among all the people under siege, saying, “People still are polite. People support each other.”

People line up to a pharmacy as Russia invades Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 2, 2022.

Gleb Garanich | Reuters

The Ukrainian army has already raised hundreds of million of dollars by selling bonds and crypto currencies. Multinational companies such as McKinsey and Jefferies have also pledged to donate money to help the nation. EU countries claim that they will send more weapons and Western sanctions have caused many to cut ties with Russia.

The situation is becoming more dire as Russian aggressions increase and more people die. A convoy of 40-miles of Russian armored vehicles headed towards Kyiv on Wednesday. The seventh day of fighting between the north and the south of Ukraine had seen an increase in strikes against key cities.    

The only option for many Ukrainians who are still in Ukraine is to fight and resist. Natasha stated, “I see that the world is helping us and sending help in other ways.”

But it is our land. We must first defend it. And we do it.”

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