Citizen soldiers: Ukrainians train to fight Russian troops

Men and women have volunteered in droves and stood in long lines to get weapons and learn how to defend their country. Some even returned from abroad to join the resistance.

A young woman holds a weapon during basic combat training for civilians, organized by the Special Forces Unit Azov of Ukraine's National Guard, in Mariupol, the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Feb. 13, 2022.

As Russian troops surrounded the country this month, ordinary citizens received basic combat training in everything from handling guns to making incendiary Molotov cocktails to tossing grenades.

Civilians study weapons during a training session by Ukrainian right-wing group Right Sector in a city park in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 20, 2022.

A local resident with a photo of actress Sasha Gray on his helmet attends an all-Ukrainian training campaign "Don't panic! Get ready!" close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 6, 2022.

An instructor (2nd L) runs during training for civilians and members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 19, 2022.

A young woman handles a weapon during basic combat training for civilians, organized by the Special Forces Unit Azov of Ukraine's National Guard, in Mariupol, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Feb. 13, 2022.

A boy plays with a weapon as an instructor shows a Kalashnikov assault rifle while training members of a Ukrainian far-right group train, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 20, 2022.

A local resident prepares to use a Molotov cocktail against a wall during an all-Ukrainian training campaign "Don't panic! Get ready!" close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 6, 2022.

A woman holds a Kalashnikov assault rifle during training for members of a Ukrainian far-right group, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 20, 2022.

Local residents train close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Jan. 30, 2022.

Newly married couple Svyatoslav Fursinb (L) and Yarina Arieva pose for a photo after they joined the ranks of the city territorial defense the day after they got married in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022.

Civilians listen to an instructor during training for members of a Ukrainian far-right group, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 20, 2022.