As of today, nearly 70,000 women serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the majority being military personnel.
This was announced by Deputy Minister of Defense Natalia Kalmykova, in the Small Talk programme.
"We currently have over 67,000 women in the Armed Forces, of which 19,000 are civilian employees, and all others are military personnel," said the deputy minister.
According to her information, the number of women in the army began to increase as early as 2014, but the dynamics accelerated after the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation. Kalmikova emphasized that this trend continues despite the fact that there is no conscription of women in Ukraine.
At the same time, according to the deputy minister, women are increasingly choosing non-traditional roles in the army, contrary to the stereotype. Women are showing interest in roles involving shooting, operating artillery installations, drones, and more.
"In 2018, legislation was changed, giving women the right to hold positions in the Armed Forces... However, unfortunately, we still have a problem with the promotion of women in the service. Currently, we are seeking ways to address this issue. So that women who want to build a career in the Armed Forces have this opportunity," added Kalmykova.
