Officially they are too old for military service, but that does not stop the men around Olexander Taran from fighting for their country, Ukraine. “We… make ends meet thanks to the pension fund,” says the 68-year-old commander – nicknamed Grandpa – and laughs.
Taran’s volunteer unit, the Steppenwolves, consists of dozens of Ukrainian men. Most are over 60 years old and are therefore no longer drafted into the army. But they still want to serve.
Funded by donations
The mobile artillery unit is funded by donations and travels behind the front lines with truck-mounted rocket launchers. Members take orders from field commanders and work with other soldiers.
They receive no official support from the military. They repair defective projectiles themselves. Some of the volunteers are equipped with weapons captured from the enemy. Both are supplied to them by the troops at the front.
When the Reuters news agency recently visited their base in the southeastern region of Zaporizhia, the men were preparing 122mm caliber rockets that were later fired by troops from another unit. “The commanders who give us targets are happy,” said a 63-year-old fighter named Zorro. “They’re giving us more targets (and) helping us with ammunition wherever they can.”
Also younger men in the troops
His unit was trying to be officially recognized by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to receive ammunition and pay for it directly, Commander Taran said. But that was not successful. Younger men deemed unfit to fight have also joined the force.
More than two years after the Russian invasion, many Ukrainians have become war-weary. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find men who want to fight. Some prominent Ukrainian and foreign supporters of Ukraine’s defense struggle have urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to significantly lower the minimum age for military service. At the beginning of April, Zelensky approved new measures allowing the army to deploy more troops. He lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25 and increased the penalties for refusal.
In use since 2014
Taran, who has been deployed since fighting in eastern Ukraine began in 2014, says coercion is unlikely to replace a potential recruit’s genuine enthusiasm. “You can hit him with a stick, but he won’t fight,” he said. “If anyone wants to, he or she can perform his duties and destroy the enemy for a hundred years.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
