At least 18,000 kyiv residents have been given guns to protect their city against Russian invasion, according to BBC News.
This is as Russian forces advanced on the Ukrainian capital on Friday.
The authorities are calling on the population to do everything they can to resist the invading troops.
Both the Ministry of Defence and the Interior Ministry are appealing to Kyiv residents to “inform us of troop movements, to make Molotov cocktails and neutralise the enemy”.
A leaflet with step-by step instructions on how to make petrol bombs has been posted on the Ministry of the Interior’s social media.
Interior Ministry adviser Vadym Denysenko says 18,000 machine guns “have been handed out in Kyiv to all volunteers, all those who want to defend our capital with weapons in their arms”.
“Ukrainian military equipment is entering Kyiv now to defend it. I am asking all residents of Kyiv – please do not film it, do not film its movements. This is necessary to protect our city.”
