Where are the women ? The role of women in the Russian armed forces is often limited to support roles, such as war medics or communications. However, a recent recruitment campaign launched by a mercenary group linked to the Russian Defense Ministry aims to encourage more women to fight in Ukraine.
The idea behind this campaign is to prove that women are not just meant for traditional tasks such as cooking or raising children. The recruitment ads, which were posted on Russian social network VKontakte, offer a six-month contract with no prior military experience required. A one-month training course is offered in the separatist region of Donetsk, currently under the control of the Russian army, to become a sniper or to learn to pilot drones.
However, some experts question the validity of this recruitment campaign. They believe it is crazy to claim to train snipers in just one month, knowing that it normally requires a year and a half of intensive training. These criticisms also suggest that this campaign targets the most desperate women by offering attractive salaries equivalent to those of men, i.e. more than $2,000 per month.
It is important to emphasize that this recruitment campaign does not come directly from the Ministry of Defense, but rather from the Borz battalion, a volunteer regiment active in the Donetsk region. However, this battalion is closely linked to the Ministry of Defense and Russian military intelligence.
The recruitment of women in the Russian army is a sensitive issue in Russia. Despite women’s participation in the Red Army during World War II, where they held a variety of positions, once the war ended they were returned to more “proper” domestic and educational duties. It was only later, in the 1990s, with the economic upheavals linked to Perestroika, that women were once again able to find opportunities in the army.
This new recruitment campaign therefore seems to be an attempt to revive the engagement of women in the Russian army. However, it remains to be seen whether this will be well received by the Russian population and whether it will help change the macho perception of the Russian military.
In a context where the representation of women in positions of power and influence is increasingly worrying, it is essential to continue to encourage the participation of women in all areas, including that of the armed forces. Gender equality can only be achieved if women have equal opportunities to participate in all aspects of society.