Since the start of the conflict, the defense of Ukraine has heavily relied on the participation and contribution of women. From the first lines to the bomb shelters, they have been providing support, aid, defense, and an uplifting and inspirational moral to the nation of Ukraine.
Ukraine Women At War On The Front Lines
A call to arms is nothing foreign to Ukrainian women. Women have been a part of the armed forces since 1993. At least 30 000 were part of the forces at the start of the conflict, making up 10% of the total. These numbers are rising. Recent numbers indicate that women make up 22.8% of the armed forces.
“We are not afraid of death”, said Kristina, a 29-year-old Ukrainian female soldier. Kristina lived with her family in Italy, but as tensions between Ukraine and Russia rose, she decided to return to her motherland.
As Russia continues the invasion of Ukraine, the duty of defending their homes has fallen to many formal and informal female fighters. Among them is 79-year-old Valentyna Konstantynovska from Mariupol. She attended a training run by a Ukrainian special forces unit, where she learned how to assemble and dissemble a gun, load ammunition, and aim at a target. In preparation for the invasion, in Dnipro, women were crafting hand-made Molotov cocktails to defend their city.
Beyond the battlefield
Nearly everyone not in combat is a volunteer, and most of them are women. Millions of Ukrainian women have mobilized outside the battlefield since the war broke out. They provide vital logistics and non-combat support. They describe themselves as the “rear front line”.
Dattalion, Ukraine’s data battalion, a collective of around 120 female volunteers collect photos and videos from the war. The media they document contains many of the atrocious crimes that the Russian forces are committing against civilians. They provide this data free of charge to everyone, so that reporters can see and share what Russia is really doing. With their cell phones, women across Ukraine have captured executions, bombings, and other cruel war crimes.
Love and Intelligence – Women at war!
Some women have used the dating app Tinder to match with Russian soldiers. Luring them, the oblivious men gave up their positions. Informing the Ukrainian forces, this helped establish the locations of Russian military bases.
Former Miss Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna promised that Russian troops “I will die on our (Ukrainian) land”. Anastasiia “took up arms” on her Instagram account, but later clarified that she wants to inspire others and has no plans on joining the army.
Women are not spared
“Russia is not only waging war against Ukraine, Russia is also waging war against women”, said EU commissioner for home affairs Ylva Johansson.
As the conflict keeps going on women remain to be a target of the Russian forces. An air strike on a maternity and children’s hospital in Mariupol shows that the invading forces will not hold back on anyone. The air strike left three dead and 17 injured.
Ukraine’s authorities continue investigating cases in which Russian soldiers have used rape as a war weapon. The European Union in a joint effort with Ukraine gather evidence and investigate war crimes. In just the first two weeks of April, the Ukrainian ombudsman office received 400 complaints of rape committed by Russian soldiers.
The conflict continues
Ukraine’s incredible will and resistance in fighting against its larger and much more powerful neighbor has left the world stunned with admiration. Nobody can deny the heroism of Ukrainian women defending their homes amidst the Russian horrors. Peace and justice seem to be a dream and far away, but with the ongoing support from abroad and an undying spirit of patriotism tomorrow and every coming day seems to be easier.