Preparing to fight in Ukraine
Description
Training day outside Kiev.
About 350 Donbass Battalion recruits are engaged in exercises with Ukraine's National Guard in preparation for deployment to the east.
Ukraine stepped up operations in the east of the country after the election of Petro Poroshenko as president, following weeks of restraint by Kiev.
Most of the recruits have never had military training.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) COMMANDER OF DONBASS BATTALION, SEMEN SEMENCHENKO, SAYING:
"Today we're carrying out weapons training. Those who used to be civilians and have never served in the army are being taught how to use heavy weapons, grenade launchers, high-calibre machine guns, automatic weapons, we're carrying out physical training."
They are not the only one preparing for a fight.
In Ukaine's Russian speaking east, the so called East Battalion appears to be leading the fight to break away from Kiev.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) BATTALION VOSTOK LEADER, ALEXANDER KHODAKOVSKY, SAYING:
About 350 Donbass Battalion recruits are engaged in exercises with Ukraine's National Guard in preparation for deployment to the east.
Ukraine stepped up operations in the east of the country after the election of Petro Poroshenko as president, following weeks of restraint by Kiev.
Most of the recruits have never had military training.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) COMMANDER OF DONBASS BATTALION, SEMEN SEMENCHENKO, SAYING:
"Today we're carrying out weapons training. Those who used to be civilians and have never served in the army are being taught how to use heavy weapons, grenade launchers, high-calibre machine guns, automatic weapons, we're carrying out physical training."
They are not the only one preparing for a fight.
In Ukaine's Russian speaking east, the so called East Battalion appears to be leading the fight to break away from Kiev.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) BATTALION VOSTOK LEADER, ALEXANDER KHODAKOVSKY, SAYING:
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