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Russian soldiers flooded into Ukraine Thursday under orders from President Vladimir Putin, threatening to obliterate a peace that has existed on the European continent for more than 75 years.

News reports say cities were bombarded by land, air, and sea, and Ukrainian forces were struggling to hold ground surrounding Kiev, Ukraines capital, against tens of thousands of Russian soldiers.

Prior to the attack, Ukrainian officials took steps to help Ukrainian civilians protect themselves.

Ukraines parliament on Wednesday voted to approve in the first reading a draft law which gives permission to Ukrainians to carry firearms and act in self-defense, Reuters reported.

The 30-day emergency order, National Review reports, would grant citizens the right to bear arms. It would also allow the government to conscript Ukrainians between the ages of 18 and 60, adding nearly 200,000 troops to the countrys defense.

Permitting Ukrainians to arm themselves is a sensible measure. But as Charles Cooke points out at NRO, its also a bit late.

While Ukraine has relatively loose gun control laws by European standards, estimates suggest only about 1.3 million firearms exist in the country, which has a population of some 43 million. This diminishes the chances of Ukrainian civilians being able to offer serious resistance, an idea that is hardly far-fetched, Stephen Gutowski points out at The Reload:

the history of warfare is rife with examples of smaller, weaker, and less organized forces besting even the greatest militaries in the world. From the American Revolution to Vietnam, Iraq, and multiple wars in Afghanistan, it isnt difficult to find templates for how a Ukrainian resistance could eventually prevail if Russia attempts to capture and hold it.

Speaking on CNN, Nina Lvovna Khrushcheva, a professor of international affairs at the New School in New York, also said small arms could be decisive.

If every Ukrainian takes a gun, Russians dont have a prayer, she told John Berman. I mean the military can fight, but Ukrainians are really ready today.

Ukrainian leaders apparently agree. The government on Thursday took the unusual step of issuing thousands of automatic weapons to civilians, following the issuance of its emergency order.

Unfortunately, the likelihood of serious resistance is low because the Ukrainian government embraced the right to bear arms so late.

Next time, Cooke points out, bear arms earlier.

Cookes words could be construed as flippant, but his point is a deadly serious one.

The Founding Fathers enshrined the right to bear arms in the Second Amendment of the Constitution, and they made it clear that they were not granting citizens the right, but codifying what was a natural right.

The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, explained in 1789. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country.

As some astute observers pointed out on social media, the Second Amendment was never about hunting or even self-defense (in a civil sense). It was always about liberty.

This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty, the legal scholar Tucker St. George wrote in 1803. The right of self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction.

These sentiments were echoed decades later by Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story in Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States.

The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers, Story wrote, and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them.

Its wonderful that Ukrainian officials finally sought to extend the full, natural right to bear arms to their people. The only tragedy is that it took so long.

This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.

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Ukraine grants citizens the right to bear armshours before Putin's invasion - The Maine Wire

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Steven is 10 years old. Hes a fifth grader from West Oak Lane, loves Biggie Smalls and Tupac, and wants to be a music producer when he grows up (but only if basketball doesnt work out).

Oh, and he also knows how to disarm a Glock.

Make sure your trigger finger isnt on the trigger before you release the magazine, he told Billy Penn, during a Zoom session set up by Urban Navigation.

Founded last year, Urban Navigation aims to divert kids, teens, and young adults from a path of violence. At their West Philly training center, people aged 10 to 26 can take classes on topics ranging from music production and songwriting to engineering for dirt bikes.

The goal? To give young people a roadmap of options beyond what might be available in their neighborhood or at school.

Yes, students are able to attend school. But they also have to have a mindset where they feel able to be successful. Having that is a lot harder for inner city kids, said co-founder Don Jackson.

Theres also a focus on practical tips for young people who live in environments where guns are regularly present by no fault of their own.

From talking with kids, we know that gun violence was a big issue, said Hameen Diggins, Urban Navigations other co-founder. They also told us that dancing around the issue wouldnt solve the problem, so we tackle it head on with gun safety education.

Already this year, more than 340 people in Philly have been shot, according to data compiled by the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting, up 4% from last years already high pace. The concentration of shootings varies over time and across neighborhoods, but the brunt of the violence falls on young people.

In 2021, young adults comprised a quarter of Philadelphias shooting fatalities. The violence near North Phillys U School has made students feel numb [and] disconnected as they grapple with constant lockdowns, The Inquirer reported, while others are afraid to walk to school.

Diggins and Jackson try to impart skills youth can use immediately, like how to disarm a weapon, stay safe during a shooting, or what Second Amendment rights do and dont cover.

Were not teaching people how to go and shoot accurately, said Jackson, who works as director of education for the Philadelphia Technician Training Institute. Were teaching them how to respect the weapon, which a lot of kids dont learn.

The inspiration for Urban Navigation came directly from conversations with students at his North Philly automotive and technical trade school, Jackson said.

Some students wanted to learn more about the music industry and engineering, while others sought intangible life skills: conflict resolution, healthy self expression, and how to plan for the future.

The organization partners with local hip hop magazine Hypefresh and internet radio station Myndset Radio to teach Media 101 classes, which focus on documentary and audio production. Their signature program, 16 Bars of Expression, looks at how rap can be used to solve conflicts, while their Power Sports Commission combines gun safety lessons with engineering classes.

All programs run on open enrollment and are free to the public. Jackson stressed that no two students will have the same takeaways from a class, but most center on how to cope with gun violence.

Theres little research about how effective gun safety classes are at blunting the impact of gun violence. But for 10-year-old Steven, the program seems to be working.

I would recommend [Urban Navigation] to a lot of kids in Philadelphia, Steven said. The way crime is, kids need to know how to handle being around a gun.

West Oak Lane fifth grader Steven is also a big fan of Urban Navigations Power Sports Commission.

The 13-month program uses ATVs as a jumping off point for technical training on small engine repairs, entrepreneurship lessons, and eventually, the chance to obtain a legal license for a vehicle.

Philadelphias strong dirt bike culture has ties to Meek Mill and community building. It has also incited backlash from city residents who conflate the streams of bikes and ATVs that zoom down Broad Street and other commercial corridors with upticks in crime, noise complaints, and traffic accidents.

Last summer, City Council passed legislation that would make it easier to confiscate these illegal vehicles. But where local legislators see crime, Urban Navigation sees an opportunity.

Theres always the news reports: These ATVs get on peoples nerves. But what the city is not realizing is that when young people are on their ATVs and dirt bikes, theyre not shooting at anybody, said co-founder Jackson. Instead, theyre taking out their frustration on the bike.

Urban Navigations program operates in small cohorts of 5 to 15 students. Some days, instruction means field trips to dirt bike trails to blow off steam. Other times, it means learning how to build robots or fix a motorcycle.

Steven said the program is already teaching him determination and perseverance. Older students who complete the training can earn mechanical certifications and walk in a graduation ceremony.

When youre working on a bike or riding one, all your problems go away, co-founder Diggins told Billy Penn. All of that anger, all of that pain disappears for a minute. And we want to be able to give youth that option.

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Philadelphia's Urban Navigation teaches kids to 'respect the weapon' - On top of Philly news - Billy Penn

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress is working to donate one million rounds of ammunition to the people of Ukraine, to help them defend against Russian Forces. Childress said he is working to try and get waivers to get that ammo shipped to Ukraine. He said they will use cargo planes and private contractors to get it into the right hands. Its no secret NASCAR legend Richard Childress is passionate about helping others, his country and the second amendment. Which is why when RCR Owner Richard, Childress saw the images coming out of Ukraine and when he heard President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ask for ammunition, he jumped in to help. It just hit me where I knew I am on the board of directors with Ammo Inc. and I knew that we could play a role of making a difference. It may be a small difference, like I said they may need 10 million rounds or more but we want to get that million to them as soon as possible, said Childress, of Richard Childress Racing.He's working with Ammo Inc. to donate one million rounds of ammunition to the people of Ukraine. While theyve got the ammunition, the process of getting it shipped is complicated.The first process is going to be getting a waiver to take it out of the country. Weve got it figured out through cargo planes how to get it over to the country We have private contractors that know how to get it in the hands that need it, he said. Childress hopes what's happening in Ukraine, teaches everyone about why he believes its important to have the second amendment. To protect ourselves, thats what its all about. The people in Ukraine, their president gave them guns to go out and help protect this country, they are fighting not only for their lives but they are fighting for their freedom liberties and democracy, he said. And said he has a message for the people of Ukraine. Stand tall and fight because thats what we would do in America if we were being overtaken, he said. Childress said he hopes to be able to possibly donate even more ammo in the future.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress is working to donate one million rounds of ammunition to the people of Ukraine, to help them defend against Russian Forces.

Childress said he is working to try and get waivers to get that ammo shipped to Ukraine. He said they will use cargo planes and private contractors to get it into the right hands.

Its no secret NASCAR legend Richard Childress is passionate about helping others, his country and the second amendment. Which is why when RCR Owner Richard, Childress saw the images coming out of Ukraine and when he heard President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ask for ammunition, he jumped in to help.

It just hit me where I knew I am on the board of directors with Ammo Inc. and I knew that we could play a role of making a difference. It may be a small difference, like I said they may need 10 million rounds or more but we want to get that million to them as soon as possible, said Childress, of Richard Childress Racing.

He's working with Ammo Inc. to donate one million rounds of ammunition to the people of Ukraine. While theyve got the ammunition, the process of getting it shipped is complicated.

The first process is going to be getting a waiver to take it out of the country. Weve got it figured out through cargo planes how to get it over to the country We have private contractors that know how to get it in the hands that need it, he said.

Childress hopes what's happening in Ukraine, teaches everyone about why he believes its important to have the second amendment.

To protect ourselves, thats what its all about. The people in Ukraine, their president gave them guns to go out and help protect this country, they are fighting not only for their lives but they are fighting for their freedom liberties and democracy, he said.

And said he has a message for the people of Ukraine.

Stand tall and fight because thats what we would do in America if we were being overtaken, he said.

Childress said he hopes to be able to possibly donate even more ammo in the future.

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Richard Childress to send ammunition to Ukraine to help during Russian invasion - WXII12 Winston-Salem

Even Herschel Walker doesnt want to stand next to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). The former NFL player and current Senate candidate for Georgia pulled out of Greenes upcoming Second Amendment and Freedom Rally in Rome, Georgia after she spoke at a white nationalist conference over the weekend, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The rally is expected to feature Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Steve Bannon, among other far-right personalities. Walker is the latest Republican to distance himself from Greene, who defended and even promoted her appearance at the conference for young conservatives. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) slammed Greene and Rep. Paul Gosars (R-AZ) appearance, saying there was no place in the Republican Party for white supremacists or anti-Semitism, while House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said he would talk with the duo for attending an event led by appalling white supremacist Nick Fuentes.

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Even Herschel Walker Is Avoiding MTG After White Nationalist Cameo - The Daily Beast

An unknown person fires at paper targets in a propaganda video from The Base. Federal investigators say the video was taken at Luke Lanes compound outside of Rome, Ga.

An unknown person fires at paper targets in a propaganda video from The Base. Federal investigators say the video was taken at Luke Lanes compound outside of Rome, Ga.

And while in recent years Ukraine had discouraged such radical foreigners from entering the country, the government has issued new calls for international volunteers to help turn back the Russian invasion. On Wednesday, the Counter Extremism Project issued a fresh warning that the invasion has sparked online activity from far-right white nationalists and neo-Nazi groups motivated to join the conflict.

Far-right paramilitary groups like the Azov Battalion rose up in response to the 2014 Crimea crisis to fight separatists in eastern Ukraine. The groups white supremacist and antisemitic beliefs were bad press for the Ukrainian government, but they were needed on the front lines, Malet said. As the formal Ukrainian military gained capacity, the government sought to discourage foreign extremists from entering the country and moderate the Azov Battalion by absorbing it into the national guard.

A lot of Russian propaganda has focused on Nazi ties, trying to paint all the volunteers and in Ukraine as Nazis, when again its probably been pretty good mix of it on both sides, Malet said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has used denazification of Ukraine as one of several narratives to justify his attack, beginning last month, on the country. Hans Jakob-Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, a nonpartisan policy group that studies extremist ideologies, said Putins claims are pure propaganda, pointing out that Ukraines centrist president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is Jewish.

That is, apparently, a very new kind of Nazi that only a Russian understands how that works, he said This is not a right-wing, extremist-run state.

Foreign fighters joining paramilitary groups like the Azov Battalion see it as an example of how such groups can exploit national distress to maximize their impact on domestic politics. And Ukraine has provided a military training ground for American extremists, in the same way Rhodesia did for an earlier generation.

Since the start of the conflict in Crimea, Jakob-Schindler said the majority of foreign fighters in Ukraine are Russian, with nearly equal numbers fighting for the nationalists and the separatists. Their number includes members of the Russian Imperial Movement, an extreme right-wing paramilitary organization branded as a terrorist organization by the United States and Canada for its alleged role in transnational white supremacist attacks, which has fought on the side of the separatists.

Aside from the Russians, experts estimate to be several hundred westerners with links to right-wing extremist groups have come to the country to fight.

Jakob-Schindler said these fighters are comparable to Islamist extremists who traveled from their home countries to fight in Syria but with less ideological conviction.

All of them saw this as an opportunity to take part in a fight. But not necessarily primarily to fight ... against the Russians or against the Ukrainians, but to get combat experience, he said.

And while some went to Ukraine and stayed there, others have returned to their home countries. These are the actual real problem, because now they are fighting extremists which at least have combat training, he said.

In October 2020, the Ukrainian security service arrested and deported two Americans they said were members of the Atomwaffen Division, a violent neo-Nazi terror organization. The Ukrainian officials said the two men, who were not identified, had come to join the Azov Battalion to gain combat experience which the representatives of the group planned to use in illegal activities.

While Ukrainian officials did not identify the Americans, last year Vice News reported one of them was Burchfield, who claimed in an interview with the news organization that he spent a few months volunteering in Donbass prior to his expulsion.

Another American who traveled to fight with Azov is North Carolina native Craig Lang, who is wanted for questioning in a 2018 double murder in Florida. Lang, an Army veteran, told ABC News in a 2021 interview in Kyiv he was a point for contact for Americans looking to fight against Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. He denied claims that he is a political extremist, but told ABC that there are some foreign extremists in the ranks.

Is there extremism to a small degree? There might be some extremism, yes, he said.

For some, the desire to fight in Ukraine is an aspiration.

William Bilbrough, another Base member who trained at the North Georgia compound near Rome, was fixated on traveling to Ukraine to fight alongside the ultranationalists militia and attempt to recruit others in his organization to accompany him, according to court records.

He never made it. Instead, federal authorities arrested him in January 2020 on charges that he was part of a plot to conduct a mass shooting at a Second Amendment rally in Virginia, a move he and his codefendants reportedly thought would speak a broader conflict.

Prosecutors cited his desire to travel to Ukraine as grounds for holding him in jail without bond.

Bilbrough confirmed that he has friends in Ukraine and that he intended to go there for several months, federal prosecutors wrote.

Also in 2020, Jared Smith, a soldier who had trained at Fort Benning and had connections with a neo-Nazi group, pleaded guilty to distributing bomb-making materials, admitting it was part of a plot to foment violence to overthrow the United States government. In his plea hearing, Smith admitted to communicating over the internet his desire to join a far-right militia in Ukraine.

Experts are concerned that if the conflict in Ukraine drags on even more extremists in America will be influenced by its allure.

Very likely there will be individuals going, especially if this thing settles into some kind of long-term insurgency, Jakob-Schindler said.

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Ukraine seen as training ground for some on far right - The Atlanta Journal Constitution