‘I will kill to defend my city, my family, and my country,’ says a young Ukrainian mother

Two Ukrainian mothers with young children have expressed their willingness to kill and be killed in order to protect their beloved city of Odesa from Russian invaders.

Before the war, Olena Lolesnyk and Kamila Suleymanova worked regular jobs and spent their free time taking their sons to the many beaches and parks of this picturesque resort town known as the “Pearl of the Black Sea.”

However, when Russian warships threatened to launch a seaborne assault on the ancient port, these fiercely protective women armed themselves to defend Ukraine.

Olena, 30, and Kamila, 33, are now part of a unit of Ukraine’s 3014 Army that is the last line of defence for Odesa, a long-held Kremlin prize.

‘I am willing to kill to protect my city, my family, and my country,’ Olena told MailOnline after receiving a bravery award from the city mayor.

‘I try not to think about dying, but I am willing to give my life to protect everything I care about.’

‘My mother is unaware that I have joined the army,’ Kamila added.

‘However, we must defend our homeland.’ It is for the sake of our children.’

They were speaking after attending a military ceremony honouring Ukraine’s National Guard.

They stood shoulder to shoulder with their male comrades, dressed in khaki-green uniforms, body armour, tin hats, and carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles, as a military band played the Last Post.

The parade took place in front of a famous statue of Russian Tsarina Catherine the Great, who founded the city in 1794.

But now, this Russian Empire symbol is encased in sandbags and surrounded by Ukrainian military hardware to protect it from Kremlin warships that threaten to destroy the historic port.

Tank traps, barbed wire, and machine gun emplacements now litter the city’s tree-lined boulevards and pedestrian walkways.

The parade passed by a famous statue of Russian Tsarina Catherine the Great, who founded the city in 1794.

However, to protect it from Kremlin warships that threaten to destroy the historic port, this Russian Empire symbol is now encased in sandbags and surrounded by Ukrainian military hardware.

Tank traps, barbed wire, and machine gun emplacements can now be found on the city’s tree-lined boulevards and pedestrian walkways.

The Ukrainian Army is also on high alert for a coordinated Normandy-style beach landing and parachute assault that could encircle the city on three sides.

As a result, ordinary citizens, such as the two mothers, have taken up arms in large numbers to defend their homes.

Back on the parade, Olena revealed that she has no idea who will care for her nine-year-old son David if she is killed.

Her mother is no longer alive, and she divorced his father a long time ago.

However, the 30-year-old, who usually works for a trade union, claims she had no choice but to assist in the city’s defence.

‘This is my duty,’ she explained.

‘Right now, I work in the army stores.

‘However, my unit is based here in Odesa, so if the Russians invade, I will shoot them from the barricades.’

Kamila, a former city council employee, said she felt she had no choice but to join the army.