The MP said that, though it would be a “last resort” as a politician, she would do so to protect her country from “occupiers”.
Ukrainian MP Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze has said she would take up arms to defend her country in a powerful interview on Friday (4 March).
The politician was speaking on RTÉ’s Six One News from Kyiv following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week.
“As we were driving in from the outskirts of the city in the morning, we saw these lines to food stores,” she said describing the situation in the capital.
“I receive loads of people’s questions about: ‘Where do we buy eggs? Where do we buy bread? Where do we buy basic products?’ Not to mention fuel, gasoline.
“That’s how it is right now from the perspective… of a regular citizen in Kyiv in the centre of the capital.
“But the situation is even much worse in the outskirts in quite a few areas in the north and northern-east of Kyiv.
“I have friends who are just hiding in the shelters because those Russian, Chechen fighters are walking there.”
Klympush-Tsintsadze accused Russian forces of not giving safe passage for people wounded or for people to seek refuge, stating that this is occurring across Ukraine.
She then said that she hopes the majority of Ukrainian politicians will be staying inside the country.
Asked if she would take up arms to defend Ukraine if it comes to it, Klympush-Tsintsadze responded:
“I think that that’s the last resort that a politician could do.
“I’m not such a good shooter but if I can take a couple of those occupiers with me, I definitely will.”
You can watch the interview via the RTÉ Player at this link.
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