Great-Grandmother From Ukraine Is Training With An AK-47 To Fight Off Russia Amid Invasion Tension

When you think about grandmothers you generally think of them cooking us nice meals or making us sweaters. But do you know of any grandmother learning to fire an AK-47 rifle?

A Ukrainian great grandmother named Valentyna Konstantynovska was seen holding an AK-47 rifle and learning how to use it after taking part in civilian combat training in Ukraine.

The 79-year-old elderly woman was shown how to use the assault rifle by the national guard in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine.

AP

She told local media: "I am ready to shoot if something happens. I will defend my home, my city, my children. I will do this because I think I¡¯m ready for it. I don't want to lose my country, my city."

She was hailed as a hero by many social media users. Speaking at the training, she told an NBCNews reporter: "Your mother would do it too." She even said how she may not be a valid soldier because she is too old and her body would not be able to carry a gun.

Ukrainian great grandmother, Valentina Constantinovska, on an Ak-47, training to defend against a possible Russian attack. ¡°Your mother would do it too,¡± she told me. pic.twitter.com/PnojqRir4K

¡ª Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) February 13, 2022

The training aimed to teach members of the public basic military techniques as tensions continued to mount with Russian troops at the border. It was one of several drills that have been carried out across the country to build up a rag-tag army ¡ª which includes children and a 'babushka battalion' among its ranks.

The training was apparently organised by the far-right Azov battalion ¡ª which has been accused of neo-Nazism and attacking LBTQ and Roma communities.

I don¡¯t know, is your mother a neo-Nazi? The Azov Battalion, who staged this media stunt, sure are. https://t.co/UloJM3yTvm pic.twitter.com/KElbCyDwpC

¡ª Aaron Mat¨¦ (@aaronjmate) February 14, 2022

This battalion is also described as a 'nationalist hate group' by the US State Department has been banned on Facebook. As such, the fact it was organising the event yesterday was kept hidden on social media. Most of the people attending this training had no idea that the battalion was even involved.

Konstantynovska was criticised on social media for involving herself with the group but she too mentioned that she does not agree with the political agendas of the battalion and, like many, simply wanted military training in an increasingly destabilised region.

It was the first time that safety and training were offered to the city which has been in conflict for eight years. Russia has been building troops at the Ukrainian border and has been performing military exercises with Belarus.

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