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As the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its sixth day, Ukrainian journalists are reportedly taking up arms to stave off invading forces.
"I know as examples of journalists who decided to do so," freelance journalist Keteryna Malofieieva said during her appearance on Newsmax TV's The Balance. "I know examples of some male journalists who decided to join to the territorial defense forces and protect Kyiv, for example."
While Malofieieva, whose work has appeared on Buzzfeed News, has said she won't take up arms, she said she has met civilians who have made weapons and dug trenches to help fight Russian forces.
"I am going to defend myself with my word," she said. "As a journalist, I will not take arms."
The journalists are likely just a handful of Ukrainian citizens who have followed their government's call to help fight Russian troops.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, "We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country. Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities."
The calls have intensified as Russian strikes hit Ukrainian military, civilian and infrastructure targets across the country, killing hundreds of civilians. Citizens across the nation have reported hearing air sirens repeatedly as well as the sounds of shooting and explosions.
One of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's recent social media posts asked citizens to inform the ministry of Russian troop movements and to make explosive Molotov cocktails to fight off the Russians.
Additionally, Ukrainian civilians have been helping set up roadblocks with sandbags and spare tires as well as removing road signs to help slow down Russian military vehicles, the Kyiv Post reported.
Over the weekend, Ukrainian Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky said volunteer reservists in Kyiv received over 25,000 automatic rifles, 10 million bullets as well as rocket-propelled grenades and launchers.
Meanwhile, numerous Ukrainian citizens have hidden out in bomb shelters and metro subway stations across the nation.
Over the weekend, Zelensky announced the establishment of an "international" legion for foreign volunteers who want to fight for the nation's security.
"Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, I invite you to contact foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine in your respective countries," Dmytro Kuleba, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, wrote in a tweet. "Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin too."
Although Russian and Ukrainian officials began peace talks on Monday, the negotiations and armed conflict remain ongoing as Western nations continue to issue economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia.
Newsweek contacted the Ukrainian U.S. Embassy for comment.
