New Delhi: An 80-year-old Ukrainian man has won many hearts after he tried to enlist in the army, he said that he was doing this for his grandkids. A photograph was shared on the internet of the man standing in front of a soldier with a bag, which has been widely shared on social media.
“An 80-year-old who showed up to join the Ukrainian army, carrying with him a small case with two T-shirts, a pair of extra pants, a toothbrush and a few sandwiches for lunch. He said he was doing it for his grandkids,” read a post on Reddit.
The post has been upvoted over 15,000 times, the photo also captured the attention of the former Ukrainian first lady Kateryna Yushchenko and she shared it on Twitter.
Many civilians are enlisting themselves to defend their home country between the ages of 20s & 50s mostly. According to a Reuters report, Sergiy Stakhovsky former tennis player enlisted in his country's reserve army last week, despite a lack of military experience, although he can handle a gun he said.
”Of course, I would fight, it's the only reason I'm trying to get back,” Stakhovsky according to the report.
“I signed up for the reserves last week. I don’t have military experience, but I do have experience with a gun privately.”
Another sportsman, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko also enlisted in Ukraine's reserve army this month, saying that love for his country compelled him to defend it, reported Reuters.
A couple in their early 20s Yaryna Arieva and Sviatoslav Fursin moved their May wedding date and got married two days ago only to join the country's resistance force against Russia. Their photos from the wedding and them holding their rifles have been shared widely on social media.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video message calls Europeans with "combat experience" to take arms and defend Ukraine.
“If you have combat experience in Europe and do not want to look at the indecision of politicians, you can come to our country and join us in defending Europe, where it is very necessary now,” Zelensky, says in a video reported AFP.