Overview

• Oleksandr Taran, known as 'Grandpa', commands the 'Steppe Wolves', a volunteer artillery unit not officially part of Ukraine's military.
• The unit, consisting of elderly men deemed too old for draft, contributes to the war effort behind the front lines.
• Funded by donations and equipped with captured and repaired weapons, the unit supports itself financially.
• Despite their efforts, the unit has faced challenges in becoming officially integrated into the Ukrainian armed forces.
• The ongoing conflict has led to calls for lowering Ukraine's mobilization age amid a manpower shortage.