Kiev again is counting on volunteers to bolster Ukraine’s outgunned armed forces as Russia builds up a powerful invasion force along Ukraine's borders
Not all had a billionaire backing them, so regular Ukrainians opened up their wallets. “Social media proved a method of grass-roots funding and assistance,” Cohen and Green explained. “Unit Facebook accounts and web pages solicited donations and sought volunteers, and people contributed in large amounts. Approximately 60 to 70 percent of funds required by the battalions were provided by private contributions.
Some of the volunteers had military experience. Many did not. The battalions had only the loosest of rank structures. For leadership, they elevated their most experienced and charismatic members. But battalion commanders and riflemen—and women—alike “slept under the stars.”. “They conducted reconnaissance behind separatist lines, called for and adjusted fire from conventional artillery units and carried out skirmishing to test the strength of separatist positions,” Cohen and Green explained.
“Some volunteer commanders expressed the opinion that they had been racing to capture towns and villages at breakneck speed on the orders of officials back in Kiev attempting to take credit for winning the fight,” Cohen and Green wrote. “They argued that the intelligence which led to their assault on Ilovaisk had been faulty.”
But with just 145,000 active troops, it’s outnumbered. The Russian army could roll west with nearly twice as many soldiers, plus more and. To stiffen its defenses, Kiev is hoping to recapture the volunteer spirit of 2014. A law that came into effect this month creates a new structure for volunteer units.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ukraine urges West to be 'vigilant and firm' in negotiations with RussiaWestern officials say Russia has amassed over 100,000 troops and mustered air and sea assets in the region, creating a complex threat like none seen since the Cold War.
Read more »
Crisis Text Line claims anonymized conversation data helps build AI for ‘a more empathetic world’Volunteer counselors weren’t aware of how the data is used.
Read more »
How a group of Irish fishermen forced the Russian Navy into a U-turnHow a group of Irish fishermen -- fighting back against naval drills ordered by Moscow off the Irish coast -- forced the Russian Navy into a U-turn.
Read more »
U.S. ambassador: UN Security Council won't be 'distracted' by Russian propaganda'Our voices are unified in calling for the Russians to explain themselves.'
Read more »
‘There is no friction’: Ukraine’s ambassador downplays disagreements with U.S.Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States on Sunday insisted that her government was not “downplaying the risk” of a Russian invasion despite recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington over the imminent nature of the threat.
Read more »