Yulia Kharaba, 22, decided to attend the course because she wanted to “do what I can to protect Ukraine”.
Before the war, she was leading cultural excursions in Europe. Now she is learning how to accurately shoot and load ammunition with the hope of eventually joining Ukraine’s territorial defence forces, the military’s reserve unit.
“It seems like the right thing to do, I don’t want to be at home and be safe, I must do something for my country,” she said.
The students are being taught by many people from other countries, such as America and the Czech Republic, who have “experience of weapons”, Ms Kozij explained.
However, at 81 Mr Strom is the oldest volunteer the team have had.
It is not lost on Mr Strom that he has gone from a safe retirement to a warzone. But while he has come to teach about guns he feels prepared for anything.
“I’m too old to be a fighter but I could fight if I had to,” he said.
