- Russian forces are advancing on Kyiv, and Ukraine is calling on regular civilians to fight.
- Ukraine's defense ministry urged residents of Kyiv to "make Molotov cocktails" in a tweet Friday.
- The move comes after Ukraine began distributing weaponry to those willing to defend the country.
Ukraine's defense ministry called on residents of Kyiv to "make Molotov cocktails" as Russian forces advanced on the capital city on Friday.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced Friday that Kyiv "has entered into a defensive phase," adding that "shots and explosions are ringing out in some neighborhoods saboteurs have already entered Kyiv."
"The enemy wants to put the capital on its knees and destroy us," he said, according to Reuters.
As Russia closes on the country's capital, Ukraine's defense ministry tweeted a message calling attention to reconnaissance and sabotage units in the district of Obolon, asking citizens to report military vehicle movements, and even make Molotov cocktails.
—Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 25, 2022
"Make Molotov cocktails, neutralize the occupier!" the ministry tweet said, adding that peaceful residents should be careful and should not leave the house.
The National Guard of Ukraine tweeted out an infographic explaining how to make a Molotov cocktail, which is a kind of improvised bottle-based incendiary weapon with roots in the first First Soviet-Finnish War.
—НГУ (@ng_ukraine) February 25, 2022
The moves come a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the country will arm anyone willing to fight in defense of the country.
—Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2022
The Ukraine Armed Forces and the defense ministry also sent out messages on social media saying that the process to enlist in the Territorial Defense Force has been simplified. There are no age restrictions, and only an ID is needed.
In the weeks ahead of Russia's widely-condemned offensive against Ukraine, as Russia massed tens of thousands of troops along with significant amounts of military hardware at positions around Ukraine, regular Ukrainian civilians began training for war.
A Ukrainian official told CNN at one point that "we are going to fight if something happens. Our people are ready to fight. Every window will shoot if [Russians] go [in]."
The military-style training that these civilians, who have worked regular jobs like dentists or architects, received from veterans and current service members included how to handle a firearm, battlefield maneuvering, and even improvised weapons, such as Molotov cocktails.
Incendiary weapons like the Molotov cocktail previously proved effective against Soviet armor.