Women are taking center stage in the Russian army. While traditionally women had supporting roles in the armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry is now looking to encourage more women to fight in Ukraine. A surprising initiative which aims to break stereotypes and show that women have their place on the battlefield.
According to an article published by Russian investigative media outlet Important Stories, approximately 1,000 women are currently participating in the Russian war effort in Ukraine. However, they are mainly present in support roles, as war medics or in communication. But the Ministry of Defense wants to change this situation by offering more military opportunities to women.
To attract new female recruits, the Borz battalion, a volunteer regiment, posted several announcements on the Russian social network VKontakte. These ads offer a six-month contract and require no prior military experience. One-month training will be provided in the separatist region of Donetsk, controlled by the Russian army, to become a sniper or learn to pilot drones.
Although this initiative may seem bold, some experts question the wisdom of training snipers in just one month. Proper training normally takes more than a year and a half. It is therefore possible that this battalion seeks to recruit mainly desperate women, ready to take risks for an attractive salary, equivalent to that of a male soldier.
It is important to emphasize that these announcements do not come directly from the Ministry of Defense, but from the Borz battalion, which depends on the Redut mercenary group, controlled by the ministry and Russian military intelligence. This discreet approach testifies to the sensitivity of the question of the mobilization of women in the Russian army.
Indeed, despite the massive enlistment of women in the Red Army during the Second World War, the Russian army remains an institution marked by machismo. After victory over Nazi Germany, the Soviet government quickly asked female fighters to return to their traditional roles as housewives.
It was only in the 1990s, with the economic upheaval of the post-Perestroika period, that women began to find refuge in the Russian military. The economic crisis has pushed many women into the army to find professional opportunities, thus returning to a greater female presence within the Russian armed forces.
This new initiative by the Russian Defense Ministry marks another step in the fight against gender stereotypes in the army. By providing military opportunities to women, Russia seeks to promote gender equality and show that women are equally capable of fighting on the battlefield.
However, it remains to be seen whether this initiative will lead to a real integration of women in the Russian army, or whether it will remain a simple symbolic gesture. But one thing is certain, women are gradually taking their place in armed forces around the world, demonstrating their determination and commitment to protecting their country.