A Ukrainian artillery unit made up mostly of pensioners is taking the fight to Russia - despite not being part of the army. Oleksandr Taran, 68, whose call-sign is ‘grandpa’, leads the ’Steppe Wolves’ volunteer unit of over-60s who want to be part of the war against Russia but can’t join the regular military due to their age. So these OAPs use their pensions to self-fund vehicles and ammunition that they use to carry out fire missions for regular infantry units on the frontlines. Commanders radio in orders to Taran’s unit, who quickly dispatch to hit the targets and destroy them. The men have created mobile rocket artillery out of pipes and pickup trucks to strike Putin’s men, and have also manage to purchase mortars and shells for their missions. Like the men themselves, the equipment they obtain is deemed faulty by the Ukrainian army which refuses to use it. But these men use their experience to repair it themselves and put it to good use. Taran says regular commanders are happy to have him and his men covering their backs. Whilst Ukraine considers forcing young men to fight in the military, Taran believes that men who join the war willingly are much more valuable - no matter how old they are.
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1 май 2024
