Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the number of Ukrainian women in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard, and other forces that defend Ukraine has doubled, according to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.
More than 60,000 Ukrainian women are defending Ukraine from Russian aggression, with 42,000 of them having joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Hanna Maliar said.
“This number is constantly growing, as more Ukrainian women join the ranks of the Armed Forces in response to the Russian invasion,” Hanna Maliar claimed.
The increase in the number of women who voluntarily join the army has become possible due to significant changes in Ukrainian legislation related to gender equality that allows women to join the military the same way men do, according to Hanna Maliar.
“Women are holding the line on a par with men, fighting, taking risks and, unfortunately, sacrificing their lives. They are a model of courage and dedication for the whole world,” Hanna Maliar said.
For comparison, in 2021, before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the number of women in the Armed Forces was about 30,000, according to Hanna Maliar.
Last month, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that 5,000 women were fighting on the front line. According to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, 107 women have already been killed in action.
Thousands of women currently serve in the Ukrainian military as commanders, medics, snipers, gunners, etc.
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