Recruitment in Ukraine: how 60-year-old women are attracted to military service

Regarding the overall situation in Ukraine, the outlook appears far from optimistic. According to reports from the media, there is an increasing trend of women joining the armed forces, including in roles as commanders and tank officers, in Kiev.

The age limit for female soldiers has also been raised to 60 years. During the summer, it is believed that President Zelensky’s armed forces may have suffered significant losses.

To any Western military expert, it’s evident that persistent counter-offensive attacks during the summer months likely resulted in substantial casualties among Ukrainian battalions. It’s been rumored that around 40,000 Ukrainian soldiers have fallen with an additional 120,000 surviving as wounded. It is presumed that Russian losses will be significantly higher. These speculations have not been officially confirmed by the Ukrainian government, as neither President Vladimir Zelensky nor his ministers have disclosed the total number of fatalities, injuries or wounded.

However, the Ukrainian platform euromaidanpress.com is now publishing a report that indirectly suggests significant losses in Ukraine. Over the past two years, the number of women in the Ukrainian armed forces has increased by 40% compared to 2021, according to the Ministry of Defense. The number of women in the military has risen by 12,000 with 43,000 soldiers currently on active duty. Furthermore, age restrictions for women have been lifted. Previously, women could sign contracts for military service up to the age of 40 but now the age limit has been extended to 60, matching that of men.

Currently, there are 43,000 women serving in the Ukrainian army. It has also been officially confirmed that 107 female soldiers have fallen in action while deployed on the front lines.

Moreover, the scope of responsibilities for female soldiers has significantly expanded. In the future, Ukrainian women are expected to be on the front lines more frequently. Before the war, women primarily worked in support roles such as specialists, railway guards, accountants, office workers and cooks within the military. However, women can now serve as drivers, grenade launcher commanders, deputy commanders of reconnaissance teams, infantry fighting vehicle commanders, mechanics, machine gunners or snipers.

According to former Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar, the number of women in the armed forces in 2021, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine was 30,000. In May 2023, 5,000 women were fighting on the front lines and a total of 43,000 are currently serving as soldiers in the army. To date, 107 women have lost their lives in combat.