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Meet Ukraine's 26-year-old MP who brandishes AK-47, prepares for 'long night'
In an interview with BBC Radio 4 Today, Sviatoslav Yurash was asked what Ukrainians would do if Putin wins the war. "That's exactly why I am looking at my AK47 in front of me," the MP said.
When Sviatoslav Yurash became a member of the Ukraine Parliament, he was the youngest MP in the history of Ukraine. Three years later, facing Russia's offensive against Ukraine, the 26-year-old MP has armed himself with an AK-47 assault rifle to figure out what lies ahead. He said he is not a soldier but in a situation like this when one has to battle for one's life, learning things becomes easier.
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As Sviatoslav Yurash was speaking to BBC Radio 4 Today, he was asked what Ukrainians would do if Putin wins the battle. "That's exactly why I am looking at my AK47 in front of me," the MP said. He said Ukraine's citizens were already gathering at recruitment stations and the government has already announced that anyone who wants to take up arms will be helped by the government. In fact, the government on Friday asked people to make petrol bombs at home.
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"We are the biggest nation in Europe, we are a nation of 40 million people and we are not going to just stand idly by as Russia does as it wants all across its borders. We will fight with everything we have and with all the support the world can provide us," Sviatoslav Yurash told the radio channel.
"That’s exactly the appeal to the world - we need your support, we need your help. Russia is violating every single international law in existence and we need to win this fight not just for us but for international law to be sustained," he said.
Sviatoslav Yurash has posted a photo on Twitter where he can be seen clutching his AK-47 with a grin on his face. "This will be a long night," the caption reads.
