They were told they were too old to fight, so they formed their own unit for those over 60 – the Steppe Wolves

by Lysychka-

36 comments

  1. The group Steppe Wolves was formed at the start of the full-scale invasion. It is made up of volunteers who were not accepted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine because of age (60+) or health conditions. The Steppe Wolves have gone from being infantry to mobile artillery operators and now work with small “Grad” systems on the Zaporizhzhia front.

    Sixty-eight-year-old Oleksandr Taran, call sign Did (“Grandpa”), is a former fighter of the Donbas volunteer battalion and fought in the 2014 battle for Ilovaisk, where he was wounded. When Russia invaded in 2022 he tried to rejoin the army but was rejected due to age, so together with other veterans he formed a volunteer unit:

    “Age in the passport always gets in our way. But we now cooperate with the Armed Forces and the National Guard. Whoever asks us to work – we work with them. We’ve been everywhere from Kherson to Sumy,” says Did.

    The Steppe Wolves do not receive state pay; they rely entirely on donations. Did says what drives them is protecting their country:

    “Money was never even a question. It’s hard not to be active. Sometimes you just sit for hours waiting for a chance to fire. When we win, then I’ll sit at home with my grandkids.”

    Also in the unit is 65-year-old Oleksandr Bezruchko, call sign Ikar, from Poltava region. In civilian life, he ran his own business and developed an aviation camping site. In 2022 he volunteered for the front, fought as an infantryman in Donbas, but was released because he had “reached the maximum age.”

    “I was 61 then. I went straight to zero line, stayed in Donbas the whole time. After three months they discharged me for age, even though I was the most motivated in the company, the best marksman…kicked out just for age.”

    After that, Ikar searched for a way to keep fighting but no one would take him. He found out about the Steppe Wolves and joined:

    “They don’t take retirees into the army – think we’re half-dead. But despite my age, I’m in better shape than many younger guys in combat units.”

    Now Ikar works as a gunner on a mini-Grad. 

    Both Did and Ikar hoped for amendments to Ukraine’s law on military service that would let people over 60 sign combat contracts – but so far it did not happen. Under current rules, those over 60 can only serve in communications, logistics, medicine, or engineering roles, and final approval depends on unit commanders.

    Ikar is disappointed:

    “Aren’t there enough people for rear positions? I want to fight – and I can fight. I know I’ll probably be killed, but is my life worth more than the young guys’?”

  3. Just imagine, you are outnumbered. Pinned down by drones. Suddenly a Grandpas voice comes in over comms “got ya back kid” and suddenly five grandpas with a freakin Grad on their Pickup come in and blast the Ruskies away….

  4. What a best way to die in those years than defendimg your country.
    Aplause them

  6. Ikar looks fitter than a man half his age. I can’t believe he was expelled. 

  7. Welp. Just added them to the list of people to never ever screw with.

  10. One of the scariest thing on Earth: Motivated Old Veterans with grandkids

  14. If my grandfather was still alive I just know for a fact he’d of flown home and done shit like this.

  16. These are the type of feel-good stories that we need right at this moment. Very heartwarming.

  17. We know the age of some frontline knights of the battle of Tewkesbury 1471, there were quite a lot of them in their 50s and 60s (and I think one or two even in their 70s). More of them were above 50 than below 25 and people in their 40s were absolutely normal in the frontline.

    What I am trying to say those lads are following some great warrior traditions, godspeed fellas.

  18. I wonder how many of these grandpas actually fought in Afghanistan?

  19. Beware of an old man in a profession where men die young

  23. I’m old and would be more apt to do something dangerous as to sending a young guy. I know that doesn’t fit all suitations but you know what I mean

  24. God forbid, even if Russia ends up controlling Ukraine, what is the point? Ukrainians, young and old, will fight Russia for the next 1000 years… What’s the point of this war? Putin has opened Pandora’s box of pain for Russia…. He’s a diabolical fool. Never again will Ukraine accept Russian rule, guerrilla war far would destroy Russia….

  25. The stupid orcs bit off wayyyyy more than they could chew! Slava Ukraini!

  26. My favorite quote to add to this

    Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young

  27. These men are incredible and I’m sure every Ukrainian is proud to have them. They will be an incredible asset on the way to victory!

  28. Never underestimate motivated old bastards with nothing to lose.

  29. Be afraid of an Old man in a profession where many men die young.

    Odin awaits these wolves with glee on his face.

  30. I love this! Is there a way for those of us online to donate to them?

  32. Ukrainians keep finding ways to prove they’re some of the toughest people out there. Heroyam slava!

  33. In WW2, the US Army recruited a battalion worth of basically old men, well over the recruiting age. These men had decades of life experience. They basically used them as an experimental unit, forcing them to do grueling long field exercises. They put them up against units full of fresh, young, athletic men and the unit of old guys absolutely wiped the floor with them every single time. These old heads just wouldn’t quit.

    Eventually they saw combat action, and ended up rescuing a bunch of marines in the pacific campaign.

    I wish I could remember the unit, but they turned out to be an absolute legendary unit. Props to these guys here, because they bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the table.

  36. Can anyone just form a paramilitary organisation in Ukraine? There seems to be quite a few units like this.

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