Russian aggression and the decade-long war, in which Ukraine has been resisting, are prompting European countries to reconsider their security strategies. Specifically, nations are ramping up their reservist numbers, increasing military personnel participation in training exercises, and bolstering their weapons stockpiles. Some are even turning to seemingly unconventional measures.
For example, the Danish government recently announced intentions to mandate military service for women. Currently, very few countries worldwide have such a policy in place. The primary motivation behind this move in Copenhagen is the looming Russian threat. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces a dire shortage of military personnel on the front lines, yet Kyiv is not rushing to enlist women. Those who have already joined the defence forces are volunteers, underscoring that they often encounter challenges and must prove their capability to defend the country, irrespective of gender. Nonetheless, there are obstacles that even the utmost determination cannot easily surmount.
“I won’t sign off mobilisation for women. As for the age of 25 [draft age for men – ed.], if all the arguments are laid out, and if I see today that there’s a genuine need for it, then I’ll agree with that,” stated President Volodymyr Zelensky firmly during a significant press conference on December 19, 2023. Ultimately, the state lowered the mobilisation age to 25 years, but the decision to join the defence forces remained voluntary for women. Under the new mobilisation law, which took effect on May 18, only women with medical and pharmaceutical education are mandated to register for military service. Those with relevant degrees and skills can enlist voluntarily. Moreover, even women under mandatory military registration are not restricted from travelling abroad and can only be called up “on a voluntary basis.” Similarly, while basic military training is compulsory for men aged 18-24 who cannot currently be mobilised, women have the option to undergo it voluntarily.
“As far as I’m aware, currently, the units within the Ukrainian army themselves aren’t particularly enthusiastic about mobilising women. The primary focus of the recruitment campaign today isn’t targeting women,” says Iryna Rybakova, a press officer of the 93rd Separate Mechanised Brigade ‘Kholodnyi Yar’, in a comment to The Ukrainian Week. One reason for this approach is that the most pressing requirement for the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the moment is infantry. This military role demands physically robust and resilient individuals. Furthermore, serving as an infantry soldier in the Ukrainian army is now doubly challenging due to the extremely harsh conditions: “Presently, the conditions faced by Ukrainian infantry soldiers are simply unbearable. It’s not something anyone, whether male or female, would wish for. You have to carry everything yourself. Trekking seven kilometres at night to the positions, hauling ammunition, water, and food supply for an indefinite number of days amidst fire and FPV drones. For this task, men are essential. Women aren’t seen as necessary assets,” Iryna explains. At the same time, according to the military, there are also traditional notions that “having women in the infantry is not feasible unless they serve as medics.”
As of the start of 2024, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine reported a total of 62,000 women serving in the Armed Forces, encompassing more than just servicewomen. Given that until 2018, women were barred from holding combat roles in the Ukrainian military, those who managed to break through, such as mortar operators or snipers, were officially classified as cooks or clerks. Consequently, a significant portion of women in the Armed Forces still do not serve in combat roles. Exceptions include roles like medics and press officers. According to the MOD, by the beginning of 2024, over 4,000 women were deployed in combat zones, with over 13,000 having already been granted combat veteran status by that time.
Based on Iryna Rybakova’s observations, some units actively involve women in combat roles, while others limit them to more traditional military roles reserved for women. For instance, within units under the National Guard of Ukraine (a military formation within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine), there’s a notable presence of women in combat positions, where they’re fully integrated into the teams and demonstrate high levels of activity. In interviews with female soldiers from the Ukrainian National Guard, it’s suggested that they’ve found a sense of comfort there. Many of these women initially served in the police force, where mixed-gender teams are common in patrols. “Women are used to being part of patrols, working together, and taking shifts. These police teams have embraced the presence of female colleagues not just as women but as equal comrades,” explains Iryna.
Nearly every female military member interviewed by The Ukrainian Week highlights the need to ‘power through’ and ‘pave the way’ for women in the military.
With the Armed Forces of Ukraine facing a shortage of personnel, there’s extensive discourse on the need for broader gender inclusion despite the hurdles. Ukrainian military figure and poet Yaryna Chornohuz, for instance, proposes the establishment of women’s units. At present, one such unit is being formed. Comprising selected female volunteers, it will focus on operating UAVs. “Some argue that women’s units aren’t feminist because they segregate genders, but I’m focused on practicality. There are many all-male units where women aren’t admitted. If these units exist, why not create at least one or two all-female units? Especially for women aspiring to combat roles but recognising the challenges of joining male units,” says Chornohuz. She believes such units could serve as a positive example even for mixed-gender military units: “If all-female units prove effective, acceptance of women in mixed units will likely increase,” Chornohuz suggests.
Ukrainian female military personnel also highlight the need to reassess societal attitudes so that military service is not viewed solely as a male responsibility. According to Yaryna Chornohuz, one essential change in this regard is the introduction of basic military training for both genders. “If we had introduced mandatory basic military training for women two years ago, the issue of mobilising women wouldn’t be seen now as a communication bombshell, as some call it, or a very scary risky idea, or just hype. It would have been a logical progression that if everyone undergoes basic military training, then mobilisation would naturally apply to both genders,” Yaryna explains.
Despite the fact that the state currently leaves the choice to Ukrainian women—whether to join the armed forces and defend their country alongside men or not—more and more women are opting in. Statistics show an increase in the number of women in military academies. According to Lieutenant Colonel Natalia Lytvynenko, adviser to the chief of the Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko National University, the number of women and girls obtaining military education is growing each year.
“Before the war, we had about 30-40% of girls, and now it’s 50%. And this is their conscious decision. While boys are expected to be in the Armed Forces due to the war and mobilisation, girls are making these decisions more consciously than ever,” she emphasised in one of her comments.
Indeed, Natalia Sad’s decision appears to be both conscious and well-thought-out. She is a communications specialist in her civilian profession and a future artillery officer. Natalia enrolled in the National Defence University immediately after the liberation of the Kyiv region in the spring of 2022. However, she says she first considered obtaining a combat speciality when Western intelligence began talking about the possibility of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. “This was a year before my enrolment. What motivated me? Firstly, I really wanted to live. Secondly, I really wanted to be useful. Thirdly, I realised that we wouldn’t be able to avoid a full-scale war, and as long as we border Russia (forever!), I need to learn to defend myself, my loved ones, and my country,” she explains in a comment to The Ukrainian Week. Additionally, Natalia witnessed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine while working at Ukroboronprom, a state-owned weapons producer, where she later became its spokesperson. “Learning to speak the same language as the military during wartime became my personal challenge,” she emphasises.
In the field of artillery speciality, where Natalia is studying, only 10% of the students are female. However, she notes that there may be an imbalance in other areas. For instance, men comprise the minority in military specialities like moral-psychological support or anti-tank missile systems (ATGM). Natalia explains that she opted for artillery for several reasons: “Firstly, I’m not suited to be an infantryman – I’ve tried to be fair when assessing my physical capabilities. Secondly, the focus on moral-psychological support, which is predominantly favoured by female students in our university (90-95%), didn’t interest me… Thirdly, with a background in physics and mathematics from school, I feel adept at managing processes and people, and among all the military equipment and weapons, artillery firepower tools – such as howitzers, self-propelled guns, and MLRS – appealed to me the most.” In late July, Natalia will take her oath in her platoon, mentioning that one of the commanders she knows eagerly anticipates her joining his battalion. He emphasises that they require specialists and that gender isn’t a concern. Conversely, another commander expressed reluctance to accept her into his predominantly male unit, citing concerns that her presence might lead to romantic entanglements among comrades, posing challenges for him as a commander.
Ukrainian scientist and mother of several children, Kateryna, provides another example of a thoughtful and deliberate choice. Unlike Natalia, Kateryna chose a different approach to prepare herself for war. Since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, she has been actively supporting the military as a volunteer. However, last year, she felt compelled to join the defence forces herself. “My husband and I agreed that I would be the first to go,” she shares with The Ukrainian Week. Consequently, since February, Kateryna has been actively preparing and attending various training sessions and courses for military personnel. Currently, she is in the final stages of undergoing interviews for admission to a military unit.
The Russian war has sparked numerous discussions about rights and responsibilities, and these discussions are gaining momentum beyond Ukraine’s borders. Society will not condemn a woman who chooses not to directly defend her country. While it’s possible to debate extensively about how men have shaped the world as we know it over centuries, the failure to enact change today could mean risking the loss of all citizens, regardless of gender, in a conflict with an enemy like Russia. This is evidently what motivated Ukrainian women in the past and continues to drive them now to break through the glass ceiling of military service and confront the immediate threat.
