Ukrainian Jewish Reservist to Hamodia: We’ll Do Anything to Stop Russian Occupation

Missiles pounded the Ukrainian capital early Friday and air raid sirens wailed over the city of 3 million people, where some were sheltering in underground metro stations, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion.

An estimated 100,000 people fled as explosions and gunfire rocked major cities. Dozens have been reported killed.

Hamodia spoke once again to a Ukrainian Jewish reservist who is now in the Poltava region.

How was the night?

People did go to sleep at night, but we all woke up at about 4 a.m. after the heavy bombing started in Kyiv, and nobody went back to sleep. People starting to pack up their valuables and just listen to the silence.

There was a blood donation this morning, and I will be going there to donate.

Is your town in danger?

The town itself is actually calm, but in a neighboring region there’s shelling and fighting.

The Ukrainian army is going around collecting water, food, and bandages, and handing out guns to teenagers, half of whom have no idea how to use them.

Does the Ukrainian army stand a chance against the Russian army? How professional are they?

The actual Ukrainian army is very unprofessional, and worth about as much as a partisan regiment. The government has also announced compulsory military service for all men of fighting age.

But nevertheless, we’ll do anything necessary to stop Russian occupation.

I prefer to use my head and not my hands, but if necessary I will fight – anything is better than being under their fascist jurisdiction.

We wished him our best for a calm Shabbos.