Jews inside Ukraine have formed their own combat units because the government has been unable to protect them from anti-Semitic attacks by pro-Russian terrorists.
The men have either served in the Ukranian or Israeli armies or have martial arts skills the teams founder, Tzvi Arieli, told the Jerusalem Post.
Arieli told the Post that the only weapons the force has are baseball bats that were provided by an American donor whose family originated in Kiev.
“We are trying to raise funds for bullet-proof vests which would greatly increase safety if the situation escalates,” Arieli said. Arieli is a former special forces soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces.
The force was created at the request of the chief rabbi of Ukraine in response to a lack of government support against anti-Semitic attacks. The attacks have been increasing since the removal of former president Viktor Yanukovych.
