15th April, 2022
Ukrainian pastor Oleg Magdych is now training civilians in Ukraine to fight Russia in the ongoing invasion of their territory.
Magdych, a father of two, is now serving as a volunteer battalion commander for 120 soldiers ranging in ages from 18 to their mid-70s.
He shared with CNN that they are preparing for deployment to southern Ukraine after fighting on the front lines north of Kyiv.
He added that most of the soldiers he’s with were civilians before the war.
“Eighty per cent of my units are people that have never held a gun in their hands in their lives. They’re ordinary truck drivers, lawyers, you name it,” Magdych said.
According to him, no injuries had been reported in his battalion in their latest engagement near Kyiv, and said many soldiers were quick to learn once the fighting started.
He added that for the first few days, they were trying to argue with him and trying to tell why they should not be doing what he was telling them to do, like digging trenches.
“But I’m telling you, after the first shelling, everybody wants to dig trenches,” he said.
