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Ukrainians are offered free gun lessons by Czechs
Olha Dembitska only struck the target once out of the first four bullets she fired from an AK-47 assault rifle. The 22-year-old Ukrainian woman said, “It’s quite challenging the first time.” At a shooting range in the Czech Republic, the target this time was a human body shape. The next time, it may be for real in Ukraine, with one of the Russian forces invading her country as the target.
Dembitska is among at least 130 men and women who’ve already received free training to learn how to combat the attacker in the Czech Republic. “If they need me,” she replied, “I might go back to Ukraine.” Before the conflict in their nation, almost none of the participants had ever handled a firearm.
Since Russia’s horrific onslaught, Ukrainians from all across the nation have been flocking to Brno, the Czech Republic’s second-largest city, to take classes on how to safely handle lethal firearms while inflicting damage on their adversaries.
Aside from learning to shoot, the classes teach students the fundamentals of firearms, battlefield mobility, and first aid, which can save lives if they are mobilised by their troubled homeland or come home as volunteers to join the Ukrainian army. Everyone is fired up.
About the circumstances in her homeland, Dembitska stated, “It’s dreadful.” She receives her news via social media and phone talks with a friend who lives in Kherson, a city in Ukraine’s south that was occupied by Russian soldiers during the invasion’s early phases.
“She is completely honest with me. Humanitarian assistance has not been provided to them. What the Russian troops are doing is a nightmare, and I’m sick of it.” “Our contribution to the support for Ukrainians,” said Michal Ratajsky, the proprietor of CS Solutions, a security firm based on the outskirts of Brno, roughly 200 kilometres southeast of Prague.
“We see it as a morale boost in this scenario, an attempt to demonstrate we’re with them and will do all we can at the time,” Ratajsky said. “That was the driving force behind our efforts.” His firm supplies the rest, including expert instructors, guns, and the shooting range, thanks to a crowd-funding effort.
The three-hour programme, according to Ratajsky, won’t make miracles, but it should be enough to introduce the Ukrainians to new, unfamiliar abilities. “We know we’re not going to turn them into soldiers in three hours,” he added. “We attempt to do the most for them in the shortest amount of time possible, with an emphasis on their safety.” Some of the students have returned for further sessions. Some have travelled from Austria’s neighbouring city of Vienna. According to Ratajsky, several people used the path on their journey back to Ukraine from Western Europe. He stated that the Ukrainian people are unified in their outrage at Russian aggression and are resolved to put a stop to it.
“They take it too seriously and want to do anything about it,” he said, adding that while artillery and missiles account for around 80% of soldier deaths in a battle like the one in Ukraine, a feeling of self-preservation and understanding of first aid may be more valuable for survival than shooting.
“We’re well aware of the boundaries of what we can prepare them for,” Ratajsky added.
Yehor Nechyporenko, 38, who’d already gone 260 km from Mlada Boleslav to Brno for the second time, said he is assisting Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic but wants to be prepared to return home and fight. He remarked of the instruction, “It’s incredibly helpful for me.” “I think it’s fantastic.” Because I did not serve in the military, I must master such skills.” The Russians, according to Nechyporenko, have little prospect of seizing the nation as a whole. He predicted that the conflict will be ended in a few months. “And if it appears that we are losing, we will all return home.”
Power officials promise meter checks and bill revisions following public outrage over double and triple charges.
The Bills
Opening this month’s electricity bill brought an unwelcome shock to families across Seawoods. Households in several residential complexes reported sudden, unexplainable spikes, with monthly charges doubling or even tripling despite maintaining their regular energy usage.
Driven by rising public frustration, local citizen groups approached the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), prompting officials to step in and promise a full investigation.
Residents expressed deep concern over potential meter glitches, inaccurate readings, or incorrect tariff slab calculations applied by the state power distributor.
“Our routine usage hasn’t changed at all, yet our bill has shot through the roof,” shared one frustrated Seawoods resident. “It is unreasonable to pay double for the exact same power consumption.”
Acknowledging the grievances, MSEDCL officials confirmed they will conduct physical meter re-inspections and review historical reading logs to rectify technical or calculation errors.
To resolve individual cases, the utility body has instructed affected consumers to submit formal complaints with their 12-digit consumer number and bill copies. Residents can lodge these directly at local subdivision offices or through the MSEDCL portal and app for verification and billing adjustments.
Locals accuse CIDCO of turning away ordinary walkers while granting VIPs and events access to Kharghar Hill.
The Protest
A growing sense of frustration has brought Kharghar residents out of their morning routines and into active protest. Members of the Kharghar Hill Welfare Association and Sajag Nagrik Manch gathered at the hill’s entrance near the RBI Colony Metro station to voice anger against the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) over glaring double standards.
CIDCO enforces an annual entry ban on Kharghar Hill from June 15 to September 15 due to monsoon landslide risks. While locals understand safety precautions, they argue the rule is being applied selectively. Protesters held signs declaring “Every Citizen is Equal Before the Constitution,” pointing out that while daily walkers are turned away, VIPs and organized commercial runners continue to gain access.
“If the hill is dangerous due to landslides, it should be unsafe for everyone,” expressed frustrated local residents. “How does the danger disappear for private marathons and VIPs while ordinary citizens are barred?”
Residents also highlighted long-standing civic neglect regarding the damaged access road to local tribal hamlets like Phanaswadi, which was only repaired ahead of an upcoming marathon event. Protesters have warned they will step up demonstrations and oppose the August 23 marathon if CIDCO fails to establish a fair and uniform entry policy for all.
Civic officials cut off power and water connections following a tragic building collapse in neighboring Bhiwandi.
The Danger
As heavy monsoon rains continue to batter the region, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has issued a critical warning to local residents: evacuate your homes immediately or face life-threatening risks.
Municipal Commissioner Kailas Shinde has ordered the swift evacuation and demolition of 34 structures classified as ‘C-1’ma category reserved for buildings deemed structurally unsafe and beyond repair.
The sudden crackdown follows a devastating building collapse in neighboring Bhiwandi, prompting state-wide directives to prevent monsoon disasters. To force compliance and safeguard lives, civic authorities have begun disconnecting electricity and water supplies to the identified properties.
“Our highest priority is ensuring zero loss of life during this monsoon,” civic officials emphasized. “Remaining in these structures poses a direct threat to residents and passersby alike.” Turbhe ward carries the highest risk, housing 15 of the 34 hazardous buildings, while others are spread across Belapur, Nerul, Vashi, Koparkhairane, Airoli, and Digha.
NMMC made it clear that occupants remaining in these structures do so at their own risk, stating the civic body will bear no legal or financial liability in the event of a collapse. Property owners and tenants must cease all residential and commercial activities immediately to pave the way for safe demolition.
MSEDCL Steps In as Seawoods Residents Face High Electricity Bills
Double Standards on the Hill: Kharghar Residents Protest Selective Ban
Urgency in Navi Mumbai, NMMC Demands Evacuation of 34 Dangerous Buildings
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