1/ On Feb 24, there was only a platoon of paratroopers in Sumy city, they destroyed one column but then were ordered to move out, leaving Sumy residents to defend the city.
The armed civilians managed for 6 weeks.
Pictures @sia_vlasova
theguardian.com/world/2023/jan…
2/ The Sumy regional head appealed to the Ukr leadership on March 1, saying:
(Rough translation) ‘Small children to old people are being protected by NATO, not the countries but NATO - Our Fucking Amazing Territorial Defense Forces’
“НАТО – Наша А*уєнна Територіальна Оборона”
3/ The Sumy TDF helped thwart Russian supply lines towards Kyiv. In his NYE speech, Zelenskiy singled out the efforts of the Sumy territorial defence forces, describing them as the ‘bone in Russia’s throat’
president.gov.ua/en/news/novori…
4/ Credit: Oleh Anatoliivych, a 57-year-old from Krasnopilia, a village in Sumy region on the border with Russia, spent days hiding in the bushes along the motorway, counting and filming the tank columns & the passing the information to his son, an officer further south
5/ Credit unknown, here the Sumy territorial defense forces can be seen standing around a tank. The voice on the video claims they’ve destroyed three.
6/ Ihor (1) and Serhiy (3), interviewees in the story, organised youth events for Sumy city council before the war. On Feb 24, Ihor rang Serhiy who was already on his way to volunteer. Neither had previous military experience. They have since joined the regular army in Bakhmut
7/ One of their main tasks was ambushing and destroying trucks carrying fuel - it was easier than attacking a tank and meant the tanks could only travel so far. (Four of Ihor and Serhiy’s group were killed on an ambush mission.)
@suspilne_news
8/ Major general and Sumy native, Oleksandr Nesterenko, said a repeat of February is not possible.
“These people who were accountants and businessmen nine months ago, now have nine months of training. We’re here with more manpower, weaponry”
@sia_vlasova picture
Sumy civilians setting alight to a parked tank near Krasnopilia on the Russian border in March 2022- photo credit Oleh Anatoliivych
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