Return to news
12 December, 2022
What do women in the Ukrainian army lack most?

For both men and women in the Ukrainian army, sufficient, timely, and adequate provision of necessities is crucial. However, if the Ukrainian military is adapted to the needs of men, women will continue to face problems.

NAKO has been actively monitoring the state of providing female service members with everything necessary during the last months of the war. What issues do women face in the military? And did Ukraine manage to solve at least one of them?

What are our defenders wearing?

Nine months have passed since the day of the full-scale invasion. During this time, the number of women in the army has increased significantly: more than 38,000 women are in military service, of which 5,000 are on the front lines. However, the number of problems has also increased along with this. One of the most important was the uniform.

Larger sizes of pants and jackets than should be, men's underwear, and the constant need to "fit" clothes. Anonymous servicewomen say: "There are girls who have to sew and cut their pants because they are too wide and too long for them. I sewed the coat. Most girls have to do it."

Before the start of a full-scale war, the Ministry of Defence provided only a parade version of the uniform for women. It included: a coat, a skirt, and high-heeled shoes. Although the field uniform was universal, it was still sewn according to men's standards.

   

A photo of one of the new sewn-off uniform prototypes   Photo: Iryna Nykorak

In July 2022, Kyiv City Council member and founder of the volunteer organization "Arm Women Now," Iryna Nikorak, reported that her organization had developed patterns for women's uniforms. Also, they are working on ensuring that MOD will provide female military personnel with them. The organization developed this uniform on the base of the samples of the armies of other countries. 

They are currently testing two prototypes of women's uniforms in the field.

In addition, the deputy reported that "Arm Women Now" plans to start tactical sewing shirts of small sizes - "Ubacses." In the future, they also plan to sew thermal underwear. Creating underwear for women in the Armed Forces is also at the stage of development because there are two options for solving the problem: introducing a standard one or paying monetary compensation so that women can choose it themselves.

In 2017, the Ministry of Defence had already presented underwear for female services but received devastating criticism from women due to the uncomfortable cuts and seams in the most sensitive places.

Already in December 2022, the Women's Veterans Movement joined together with representatives of the fashion industry and opened a shop for tailoring women's uniforms.

The first batch of 50 form sets has already gone to the defenders. And to help in the future, they turned to the Ukrainian Veterans Fund.

They plan to purchase new sewing machines with funds from the UVF. The co-founders want to establish their full-fledged production. Also, their goal is to provide jobs to female veterans so that they can acquire a new profession after the victory of Ukraine.

Under trademark "Veteranka," they plan to sew two lines of clothing: military and designer. They continue to sew the necessary items - uniforms, T-shirts, and underwear.

Female hygiene in the army

Another problem our servicewomen faced was the lack of personal hygiene products. Women ask for the basics: pads, shampoos, hair dryers, deodorants, shower gels, and soaps.

However, here their opinions are divided. Some believe they can independently choose what suits them. Others are forced to ask for volunteers because they need the opportunity to purchase at their own expense.

In particular, the Oleksandr Stavnitser Foundation deals with solving this problem. They collect packages of female humanitarians consisting of 30 hygiene products necessary for servicewomen.

"Now we can provide women at the front not only with light plates, but also: light helmets, comfortable shoes and uniforms of appropriate sizes, hats and gloves, specific medical preparations, backpacks, first-aid kits, underwear and, of course, a package of a "female humanitarian, "consisting of 30 hygiene products", - the foundation's website reported this.

Also, this issue is dealt with by the NGO "Zemlyachki." Volunteers have a ready list of necessary things, which they put in boxes for female service members. These are underwear, medicines, antiseptics, pads, tampons, and shower products. An obligatory accessory is a nice trinket - a child's drawing or sweets.

And military servicewoman Lesia Ganzha says she asks for pads from her male colleagues because they use them as insoles for shoes. After all, they absorb moisture well.

"If you rummage carefully in their first-aid kits, you can also find tampons because the boys used to think that they could use them to make tamponade. Actually, no, you can't.

What do women lack the most?

However, not only hygiene products or clothing are needed. The main thing women ask for is a weapon. Not only ammunition - bulletproof vests, plate carriers, helmets, but also real, heavy weapons to confront the enemy. And if women's opinions may differ on other issues, they are unanimous in armaments.


 Evheniia Zakrevska, lawyer, the senior soldier.

This was also emphasized by junior sergeant Andriana Arekhta and combat medic Yaryna Chornohuz on the air of the American TV channel MSNBC.

"We are fighting for our families and children, and this fight is not easy, so we need weapons, heavily armoured vehicles, various vehicles, and well-equipped soldiers. We need tanks and fighters, we have no chance to surrender, and these weapons are our chance to win."

During the months of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine is actively trying to cover as many of the needs of service members as possible. Volunteers and international partners come to help the state. However, new uniforms, shoes, hygiene products, and other things necessary for women in the army cannot compete with the much more urgent need - weapons. After all, if it weren't for the weapons, Ukraine would not have been able to provide for its soldiers -  both men and women - as of the ninth month of the war.