After Russian bombs rained down on Kyiv, students and staff returned to campus ¨C but only to join civilian resistance groups, ready to fight occupying troops in the streets of Ukraine¡¯²õ capital city.

¡°We have today welcomed a territorial defence unit, and teachers, other members of staff, and students are participating in it,¡± Serhiy Kvit, the newly elected rector of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) told?Times Higher Education.

Professor Kvit, who was on his way to meet civilian defence commanders at NaUKMA¡¯²õ central Kyiv campus as he spoke, described efforts by ¡°villagers armed with Molotov cocktails [stopping] tanks and armoured vehicles in their tracks¡± as being ¡°inspiring for students and teachers¡±.

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Asked if students had taken hold of weapons, or created Molotov cocktails ¨C as chemistry students at nearby?Kyiv Polytechnic Institute?were ¨C Professor Kvit said: ¡°I¡¯ll see soon ¨C the Finnish invented the Molotov cocktail so we¡¯re now calling them ¡®Bandera smoothies¡¯,¡± he joked, after the anti-Soviet Ukrainian independence leader from the 1930s and 1940s. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly who will do what but we have a lot of volunteers.¡±

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Shortly before Professor Kvit spoke, several NaUKMA students had a narrow escape after a Russian bomb landed next to their dormitory on the outskirts of Kyiv but did not explode.

¡°There are about 25 students still there ¨C most have gone home ¨C but these ones are from eastern Ukraine, so it is safer for them here,¡± he explained. ¡°We decided not to move them because it is impossible to travel by bus or car ¨C they would be a moving target ¨C and only the subway is running.¡±

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The university has suspended its normal operations ¨C while many other institutions in?eastern Ukraine have been evacuated?altogether ¨C but classes have still been held to allow students to speak to each other.

In an earlier conversation with 91ÇÑ×Ó, Professor Kvit appealed to scholars and institutions overseas to support his country and ¡°stand up with Ukraine against Putin¡¯²õ regime¡±.

He called on universities, academic institutions in Europe and around the world to make their voices heard and petition their governments to act.

¡°You, our academic colleagues worldwide, can [and] should be heard with your clear and loud message of support to Ukraine.¡±

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Asked this week if he was shocked by the prospect of students potentially carrying guns on campus, Professor Kvit, head of Ukraine¡¯²õ quality assurance agency and previously the country¡¯²õ education minister, said: ¡°Not really. I could imagine this situation because we are dealing with Russia ¨C the Chechnya conflict showed us what could happen and it has given us time for preparation,¡± he said.

¡°They have lots of money from their oil resources, but we are a very united society ¨C our people are so motivated, so I am optimistic.¡±

?jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com