For the first time during the war, Ukraine has started a national campaign to induct women into its armed forces with an aggressive push to enlist them for technical and support positions. The 13th Khartiia Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard launched the campaign with a powerful message: “Her strength is her mind.”. Her selection is Khartiia.”
The transition comes as the war with Russia starts its third year, and when Ukraine is confronted with increasingly severe manpower shortages. With an almost one million-strong armed forces, Ukraine still hasn’t had a wholly inclusive framework for women, even though it maintains about 70,000 female troops.
Khartiia Leads the Change
The Khartiia Brigade, a fighting unit that was created in 2022 to combat Russian troops in Kharkiv, became the first to have a nationwide female-targeted military recruitment drive. The brigade promoted the message on all major platforms, urging women to join them as tech-oriented officers.
In contrast to the large majority of other Ukrainian units, Khartiia is relatively progressive. It has begun to modify internal mechanisms to integrate women more effectively into its ranks. Brigade commanders think that women can perform critical functions in fields such as drone technology, intelligence gathering, and electronic warfare.
From Volunteers to Essential Operators
Ukraine remains not to conscript women, and so female recruits are still a volunteer-based and underutilised military force. Activists view them as well-motivated and able.
“More motivated women are more proficient at any work than less-motivated men,” said Alina Andreieva, a Khartiia drone operator. She enlisted 18 months ago and has championed increased female integration ever since.
Another standout example is “Jess,” a 21-year-old nurse and now a key operator in Khartiia’s ground robotics unit. She quickly adapted to tech roles, learning soldering, drone assembly, and flight systems. She now actively proposes improvements to Ukraine’s drone systems in combat zones.
Long Road to Equality
Even with the advances, Ukraine’s armed forces still struggle against systemic discrimination. Soviet attitudes, restrictions on combat positions, and truncated career opportunities still apply to women. But Khartiia is determined to establish a new paradigm and demonstrate greater equality for women in all positions, not merely surviving them.
As the conflict prolongs, Ukraine is feeling compelled to broaden its recruitment scope. With competent and dedicated women willing to join the military, this historic drive could change the course of Ukraine’s defense for years to come.
