Every day, a hundred ordinary Ukrainians learn the basics of using weapons and first aid in a secret place in the city of Lviv. They are taught by Finnish Tomi Hiltunen and his Lithuanian colleagues.
LVIV For the first time in their lives, Ukrainians from grandmothers to students are now grabbing Kalashnikov, the world’s most famous assault rifle.
They are preparing for the Russian occupation. Everyone is ready to defend their own country with a weapon against an occupier, even if they have not received any training in it before.
The word about training spreads through push radio. cannot tell you where the training is being held because you are working as a teacher Tomi Hiltusen according to it could make the place a potential target for Russian airstrikes.
The day’s quick course is short, so it focuses on the essentials.
– We will tell you how Kalashnikov works and how it is handled, Hiltunen says.
The most important thing, he said, is arms security – not to accidentally shoot yourself or other Ukrainians instead of Russian soldiers.
The programmer spends his summer vacation on weapons training
In Finland, Hiltunen works as a programmer.
However, the emergency in Ukraine touched Hilti so that the shooting enthusiast became a shooting teacher. He uses his summer vacation to volunteer to help Ukrainians defend themselves.
Initially, he brought relief supplies to Ukraine with a Lithuanian organization and now he is training Ukrainians in the use of weapons.
– Place your hand like this, Hiltunen guides his student, and at the same time corrects the shooter’s position.
The interpreter next door ensures that Hiltunen’s English instructions are understood. Other students follow the page relentlessly.
– The language is difficult, I only talk a little about Russia, which is of little help, Hiltunen says.
In the western part of Ukraine when talking almost exclusively about Ukraine.
Two hands and two Kalashnikovs
The course can accommodate a hundred people every day. Half a day is studied shooting and using a hand grenade, among other things.
The second half of the day is used for first aid. It’s not quite ordinary first aid, but learning, among other things, how to stop massive bleeding. The wounds of war are more serious than those of civilian life.
Now blank shots are fired towards the target. Hiltunen pushes the gun backwards to illustrate how the rear kick of the assault rifle feels.
In the future, students may also have the right shooting range.
– There are few supplies, more are needed, especially weapons, Hiltunen says.
So far, only two assault rifles are available for course participants.
Hiltunen reminds that a lot of foreign volunteers came to Finland during the Winter War. He encourages Finns to help the Ukrainians now in their winter war, for example by going to some kind of humanitarian or other voluntary work in Ukraine.
– If there is time, even 1-2 weeks, then you should consider leaving. Of course, it is worth keeping in mind that the country is at war and not everything is completely safe, Hiltunen says.
The motivation of Ukrainians is high
According to Hiltunen, the will of the Ukrainians to defend their country is high and may be crucial in repelling the Russian invasion.
– Yes, that should be enough. However, they are defending their homeland. Many things change if the war goes badly, Hiltunen says.
Hiltunen believes that Russia will lose this war. The course participants also believe that.
25 years old Katja Shepeleva says he would never want to kill anyone, but would like to resolve all conflicts peacefully.
– If my or my loved ones’ lives are in danger, then I could shoot, she says.
It would not be easy mentally or physically. He would rather have a pistol to secure it, as the weight of the assault rifle surprised.
– Keeping Kalashnikov as a woman felt really difficult because it is heavy, Shepeleva says.
Shepeleva’s parents are in the Russian-occupied city of Kherson in southern Ukraine. They are doctors, and that is why they cannot go as refugees and leave other townspeople in need.
Shepeleva is constantly worried about their survival.
– My mother risks her life to help others, Shepeleva says, eyes in tears.
Shepeleva hopes that she will never have to take advantage of the weapons training given by Hiltunen.
However, if Russian troops ever reached the western city of Lviv, now he knows what to do.