Ukrainian grandfather heads artillery unit of veterans to fight Russia

Zaporizhia region, Ukraine:

Oleksandr Taran’s mobile artillery unit is not officially part of Ukraine’s army, but that hasn’t stopped his men from destroying Russian targets at their own expense.

The 68-year-old commander – whose call sign is “Grandfather” – said with a laugh, “We… survive thanks to the pension fund.”

Mr. Taran’s all-volunteer unit, the Steppe Wolves, consists of dozens of Ukrainian men, most of them over 60, who are considered too old to enlist but still want to fight.

Roaming behind the front lines with truck-mounted rocket launchers, they take orders from field commanders and work with other soldiers, contributing to the war effort despite a lack of official support from the army.

The unit is funded by donations and stocked with defective rounds which they repair themselves as well as weapons captured from the enemy. Both are delivered to them by frontline soldiers.

When Reuters recently visited their base in the southeastern Zaporizhia region, they were preparing 122 mm Grad rocket rounds that were later fired by soldiers from another unit.

“The commanders who provide us with targets are happy,” said a 63-year-old fighter with the call sign “Zoro.”

“They give us more targets (and) help us with ammunition however they can.”

Commander Taran said his unit has been attempting to officially join the Armed Forces of Ukraine in order to receive direct ammunition and pay, but has been unsuccessful.

The unit also includes young people who have been declared unfit to fight.

willing and able

More than two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s mobilization effort is struggling amid enthusiasm.

Russian forces are advancing in the east and analysts say it needs to address the manpower shortage in Ukraine.

Some prominent Ukrainian and foreign supporters of the war effort have urged Zelensky to significantly lower the mobilization age.

Earlier this month, Zelensky approved new measures allowing the army to call in more troops and toughen punishment for theft. He also reduced the age of membership from 27 to 25.

Mr Taran, who has been fighting since Moscow began its war in 2014, said forceful potential conscription would be unlikely to change genuine enthusiasm.

He said, “If you want, hit him with a stick, but he will not fight.” “If a person wishes, he can destroy the enemy by completing his tasks even for 100 years.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)