As of early 2025, there are over 61,000 female veterans in Ukraine who participated in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Among them, 2,173 women have been disabled as a result of combat operations since 2014. Although women in the Armed Forces of Ukraine perform their duties on par with men, they still face prejudice, discrimination, and disrespect when returning to civilian life.
Kateryna, an officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a member of the Veteranka movement, shares her experience of struggling to join the army between 2015 and 2021 due to stereotypes about women being unnecessary in the military. She was repeatedly told that women were not needed in combat units, and if accepted, only for support roles. Even after earning her officer rank, she was criticized for her appearance, with her professional achievements ignored.
Military medic Oksana, who has served in the ATO and received the “Steel Cross” award, spoke about incidents of sexual harassment during her service. One of the unit’s drivers, Serhiy, began harassing her, which she recorded on video and reported to the command. Although Serhiy was transferred to another unit and reprimanded, he faced no criminal charges. This case was one of the first to bring the issue of sexual harassment in the army to public attention.
Ksenia Ponomaryova, a servicewoman who progressed from volunteering to becoming an officer in the Armed Forces, encountered a refusal by a Kyiv minibus driver to transport her despite her combatant ID. The driver behaved rudely, causing her to fall inside the vehicle. After the incident was publicly exposed, the driver was suspended, and the transport company apologized for the situation.
Military medic Kateryna Polishchuk, who defended Mariupol and was held captive, recounted the disrespectful treatment she received from police when stopped at a checkpoint for violating the curfew. The officer doubted her military status and spoke to her disdainfully, which was a painful experience for her.
Yulia Hryhorenko, a veteran, points out that one of the biggest problems is the devaluation of women in civilian society. She emphasizes that many people do not recognize the importance of their contribution and cannot even dedicate a moment of silence to honor the memory of the fallen.
Kateryna Pryimak, co-founder of the NGO “Women’s Veteran Movement” and a former combat medic herself, stresses that women’s rights in the military are human rights. She explains that advocacy campaigns helped lift the ban on women serving in combat positions in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and established an organization that works to transform the security and defense sector in favor of women.
Kateryna highlights the importance of supporting disabled female veterans, particularly through social integration and employment opportunities. She believes that large government programs are not necessary, but rather creating conditions for a dignified life and work.
Psychologist Anastasiia Voynarovska, who also has military experience, notes that society’s attitude toward female veterans is often superficial and does not reflect the real challenges they face. She emphasizes that women warriors deserve respect and understanding, as they risked their lives and health just as much as men did.
Voynarovska calls on society to become more tolerant and mature, and urges government institutions to provide support to veterans not just formally but with genuine consideration of their needs. She also stresses the importance of creating accessible spaces and events, especially for veterans with children and disabilities.