Ukrainians have been preparing for the worst for some time.

On February 1, FNTV/Newsflare visited a gun shop in central Kyiv, who reported a sharp increase in sales.

Andrii, a shop worker at the Praporshik (Прапорщик) gun store, explained about the changes he has seen since Ukraine-Russia tensions escalated. Gun sales since December have soared, according to reports.

Explosions and missile strikes have been reported near major cities in Ukraine today (February 24) as Russian forces launch a major military assault. In a televised statement earlier on Thursday morning, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said he was not planning to occupy Ukraine and called on its military to lay down their weapons.

Video by Oliya Scootercaster (FNTV Freedomnews.tv)

February 1 2022 – KYIV, Ukraine: Store clerk at “Praporshik” (Прапорщик) gun store in Central Kyiv, spoke to our journalist about what changes he has seen since the escalation by Russia at the border.

Andrii showed which guns people mostly buy, shared increase in purchases and explained that most people purchase guns for self defense rather than war, “The main enemy will not be some ‘little green men’ (Russian troops in unmarked green army uniforms, as seen in the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014), but the ‘Vanya’ from the next home who really wants to shoot up.”

“It is these people who will be the main problem in case of some kind of mass riots” added Andrii, “it is from them that people will defend themselves in the first place.”

Video by Oliya Scootercaster (FNTV Freedomnews.tv)