From cook to sniper: Ukrainian women fight for equality in the army

"Why did you abandon your children? Are you earning a lot in the army? they asked Vatra, a mother of a boy and a girl. You're serving instead of raising them. You should stay home, they told Bilka, a mother of two girls. What if you die? If you're not a mother, you're nothing, Ruta, a mother of three, was told on her social media."

"The testimonies of these Ukrainian soldiers reflect the arduous path toward equality between men and women in the army during the Russian invasion. They are part of the Veteranka campaign, which aims to normalize the presence of women in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Prejudice and stereotypes are not only found on the front lines, but also in society and within families."

"Being a woman in the army means facing the doubts of others every single day, stresses combat medic Katerina Priimak, who leads this independent initiative. My dream is that some of them will become generals, says Oksana Grigorieva, 49, the army's head of gender affairs. Grigorieva held this position in the Spanish army until last May, having worked in this capacity since 2022, giving her several years of experience in the field."

"Currently, there are approximately 72,000 women in the Ukrainian army, representing about 7% of its one million personnel. Of these, 19,000 hold civilian positions, like Grigorieva. Around 5,500 are deployed in combat zones. The mandatory conscription of men between the ages of 25 and 60 under martial law has reduced the percentage of women in the army which they join voluntarily but their numbers continue to rise."

Ukrainian women serving in the military face daily prejudice from civilians, families and within the armed forces. The Veteranka campaign works to normalize women's presence in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Combat medic Katerina Priimak leads the independent initiative and highlights the constant doubts women encounter. Oksana Grigorieva, the army's head of gender affairs, seeks greater representation of women in senior roles but notes entrenched stereotypes about suitable military jobs. About 72,000 women serve, roughly 7% of one million personnel, with 19,000 in civilian roles and around 5,500 in combat zones. Male conscription under martial law reduced the women's share, yet female recruitment continues to rise amid planned reforms toward EU and NATO integration and a decade-long conflict since 2014.

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