Ukraine allowed women into coal mines due to staff shortage – Reuters

Ukrainian mines have, for the first time, allowed women to work underground due to a shortage of personnel.

Reuters reported this, citing the energy holding company “DTEK.”

According to the company, around 400 women are currently employed in its mines, which constitutes 2.5% of the total workforce. This move comes as approximately 3,000 out of 20,000 (15%) male employees of the holding are involved in combat actions. Before the war, women were not allowed to work underground; such a prohibition had been in place since Soviet times.

The article highlights the words of a 22-year-old resident of Pavlograd named Kristina, who stated that she took on this job because “the war started, and there were no other jobs available.” For five months, she has been working as a technician at a depth of 470 meters, servicing electric trains that transport miners.

Kristina shares that she took up work in the mine after overcoming the fear of leaving her young son at home with her mother, as their city is approximately 100 km from the front line and is periodically shelled. She describes the job as interesting but challenging: the battery covers are heavy, and the air can be unpleasant, yet the pay is good. Kristina expressed that she feels obliged to stay in the mine to contribute for those who have gone to fight.

Her older brother also worked at the same mine but joined the army two weeks after the start of hostilities: “Our guys were taken to the front, and now we need to support them; there’s a shortage of workers in the mine.”

Even before the conflict began, women worked in the mines, but not underground.