Ukrainian Women Struggle for Appropriate Uniform | War in Ukraine

More than 42,000 women serve in the Ukrainian armed forces, but they wear almost exclusively male uniforms.

The “Arm Women Now” initiative collected donations to create and sew several thousand women-friendly uniforms, which were then distributed free of charge to female soldiers. “It’s very comfortable, it doesn’t limit my movements because the hips are high (…) everything is kept in place and we’re mobile”, notes military psychologist Alina Pirenko, who received two fatigues.

Alina wore this uniform last fall near the devastated eastern city of Bagmouth, the scene of a long and bloody battle against Russian forces. She says she is satisfied with the pants. When he joined the Ukrainian army, he recalled, for two months he was “out of uniform”. “Then they started giving us uniforms, but exclusively men’s sizes, which we sewed,” he explains.

Female soldiers in Ukraine usually have to repair the baggy clothing they receive or purchase women’s uniforms from other countries’ armed forces at their own expense. “The men’s trousers fell from the waist,” he says, gesturing to their upright gait.

Arm Women Now, an NGO created by Ukrainian women, designs military uniforms for women with fitted jackets, trousers with adjustable waists and comfortable sports bras.

Everyone can benefit soon: the model is being tested with a view to deployment throughout the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The organization is in talks with the Ministry of Defense to standardize the uniform. “I want all women to get a uniform,” says the project’s founder, Irina Nykorak, deputy of former president Petro Poroshenko’s European Solidarity Party.

Last week, the Ministry of Defense pledged to work to “meet the material needs of women soldiers”. Deputy Defense Minister Denis Sharapov attended the presentation of the female model created by Arm Women Now, emphasizing that “a comfortable uniform is one of the most important elements, because our women wear it every day.”

The range it offers is very extensive and includes undergarments for combat missions, which are “different from what civilians wear,” Ms Nykorak explains. “So women find it difficult to find underwear that fits and feels comfortable,” she adds.

In winter, there are black and khaki long-sleeved tops and leggings, zip-up fleece jackets and hooded raincoats. The dresses have multiple pockets and velcro to adjust the size at the knees and ankles. “The most popular sizes are XS and XXS”, insists Iryna Nykorak, the most rare sizes for men’s clothing.

“Women fighting in war don’t have to worry about what they’re wearing,” Nykorak says. “If a woman is armed to protect her home, her family and her country, she should at least have a comfortable uniform,” she adds. “A woman can’t fight in men’s underwear.”

Zelensky is optimistic: “After the war, Ukraine will be a member of NATO”

Zelenskiy addresses crowd in Vilnius: “Ukraine will strengthen NATO”