I am the author of the Goodacity blog, a journalist, and a translator. For 16 years, I have worked in professional journalism, contributing to regional and national publications, both in print and online media. I have written reports, conducted interviews, reviews, articles on cultural, social, and charitable topics, as well as materials in the style of "solution journalism" and communication materials.
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About a gender-neutral war, serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF), and gender stereotypes – from the perspective of a soldier, Anzhelika
“My first combat experience was in Bakhmut, Ukraine, – during January and February of last year, a time when some of the most intense and terrifying battles took place. We were engaged in reconnaissance, specifically directing artillery fire. Was it scary? Fear is normal. But overall, you get used to everything. Such are our current realities…”
From the photos, an incredibly bright, smiling woman looks back at us: on social media, pictures of rescued animals from shelters, photos from patriotic events and campaigns, work with children, sports events. But that was “then, in a previous life”…
Now, they have been replaced by volunteer collections, and the few photos of Anzhelika herself are in military uniform.She voluntarily joined the ranks of the UAF and has been on the front lines for over a year and a half.
She talks about her service without any pretense or pomp, very measured and calm.
“War does not have a gender,” says Anzhelika. “Missiles or bullets don’t check whether you’re a woman or a man… If you can be effective, why not protect your state and your people?..”
Woman in the Army: When War Sees No Gender
Her journey is from a volunteer to a Ukrainian soldier.
“My entire conscious life has been spent trying to help someone and make this world a slightly better place,” our interlocutor shares.
“I’ve done a lot of volunteering, and even here in the military, my commitment to volunteering hasn’t faded; I continue to be involved. Volunteering is about being constantly ‘plugged in,’ caring, and having a perpetual desire to help and save. I’ve rescued and found new homes for animals from combat zones more than once, something I was involved in before.”
By profession, I am a director of stage and mass events, worked as a librarian, and organized events at school,” the woman explains.
“I’ve worked a lot with children, even ran IT courses for kids at one time.”
Anzhelika participated in the Revolution of Dignity (national-patriotic protest actions in Ukraine supporting the European direction of Ukraine’s foreign policy), and since 2015, she traveled with the NGO “New Donbas” to Donetsk region, Ukraine, to visit war-torn schools — to meet with children, introduce them to Ukraine, and conduct various events and training. She was involved in this volunteering for a while, and with the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, she and her friends began to assist both Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. They established collaborations with restaurants to deliver food to Ukrainian soldiers, purchased ammunition, uniforms, protection for the Ukrainian military; and then moved on to thermal imagers, binoculars, drones — whatever was needed.
In the first month of the full-scale invasion, Anzhelika and her volunteer friends greatly assisted the besieged Chernihiv and Chernihiv region, Ukraine: transporting and delivering humanitarian aid, medicines for hospitals, and helping Ukrainian soldiers.
“On one of those trips, when one of our volunteers was delivering humanitarian aid and wanted to evacuate people on the return trip, their convoy was shot at — he was killed… It was our first and most painful loss, after which I started thinking about becoming a soldier myself — I wanted to personally seek revenge.
In May ’22, I completed tactical courses, started to prepare and learn — also underwent tactical medicine training and completed an aerial reconnaissance course. By September, I had joined a volunteer formation — I was a drone operator, flying Mavics and reconnaissance wings.”
“War is always a daily contest with death. Before deciding to serve, I was fully aware of all the risks involved: potential death or disability — and only went after I could accept this for myself. In my opinion, a woman’s life has the same value as a man’s — no more, no less. War sees no gender; it doesn’t matter to war whether you are a man or a woman in the army. So, if you can be effective, and you’re a woman, why not protect your country and your people?”
Anzhelika saw it as her civic duty to defend the homeland and fight against injustice. She understood where she was going and for what purpose, had decent physical preparation, and was mentally ready: she read a lot of literature, learned about other people’s combat experiences — so she knew what to expect.
“It was hard for my mom and dad to come to terms with my decision to serve, but they understand it’s my choice, and they accept it, though, of course, they worry about me. Still, there’s a feeling that they are proud of me.”
"What, Girl, Will You Do in the Army?"
We couldn’t help but ask about gender stereotypes and the visible and invisible challenges women face in the Armed Forces of Ukraine today.
“Yes, of course, there are certain gaps in meeting the needs of women who fight. This includes both material needs – like comfortable women’s uniforms – and intangible ones – such as equality and respect from society for those defending the country regardless of their gender,” Anzhelika says. “But there have been positive shifts in both areas, which is heartening.”
There’s still much work to be done, but all the women who joined the service since 2014 and fought for gender equality in the army – they’ve done a colossal amount of work so that today I can be officially designated in a combat role and have my documents say I’m an operator of robotic complexes, not a clerk, for example. Today, a woman can hold positions as an artillery member, a sniper, a tank operator – and that’s a huge progress! However, societal stereotypes about ‘unwomanly duties,’ which result in misunderstandings like ‘why did you go there’ or ‘what, girl, will you do in the army’ – they still exist…
I remember when I first went to the military enlistment office, I was looked at as if I had gotten lost,” she laughs.
“When I was submitting my documents, they introduced me to all the unmarried guys – felt like I wasn’t going off to war but had stumbled into a marriage market…”
You go to fight, to defend the country, not to pick a husband or seek adventures, and you wish for that understanding and attitude. It’s like a ‘spoonful of tar.’ The ‘barrel of honey,’ though, is our military brotherhood and sisterhood! I have a very good, reasonable unit; we have a wonderful, friendly team: we work together, fight together, handle domestic issues together, cook together, and it’s not ‘you’re a woman so you cook or wash dishes,'” she laughs.
“That’s not the case and never was, we have a brotherhood of equals.
I can’t generalize, but from my experience, I’d say the attitude towards women in the army varies – but a lot also depends on the women who come into a unit. You have to show right away that you came to work and are ready to work on equal terms, not showing any weakness – and only then will you be treated as an equal.”
“Regarding material provisions — of course, the biggest questions are about women’s military uniforms. Yes, women’s summer uniforms are now officially supplied, but so far, women have been equipping themselves with uniforms either independently or thanks to volunteers. I see positive changes, they are even starting to issue women’s underwear. I remember when I went to get my supplies, they gave me two or three pairs… of men’s underwear – because ‘everyone gets them, so here, take them, sign here,'” she laughs.
“What would I advise girls and women who are also preparing to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine? Be strong and be ready to fight not just the external enemy but to fight for your rights. Ahead lies a tough battle, but everything will be okay, we need to unite and chip away at this rock – so that a woman in the army is seen not as an exception, an exotic, or ‘a decoration for the team,’ but as the norm or even a plus! I don’t see anything a woman can’t do in war – you can learn everything and master anything. All it takes is the will. And many have it!”
The Hardest Part Is Losing Brothers and Sisters
We asked Anzhelika what has been the most challenging aspect of her service over a year and a half.
“The hardest part, both before I joined the military and now, is losing people,” the woman says.
“Losing brothers and sisters in war hits the hardest…
Everything else can always be endured. I’ve never had trouble with military life — I have considerable experience hiking in the mountains and sleeping in tents. In Bakhmut, Ukraine, last winter, conditions were far from the best, but I managed. As for food, I haven’t eaten meat for about ten years, but that hasn’t been a problem either. I just sometimes adjust my diet, trying to plan my meals ahead so I don’t end up hungry because there’s nothing from my ‘menu’…”
In civilian life, I trained a lot, ran, and went on hikes – and that too has come in handy. Now, when possible, my comrades and I try to run, to maintain physical fitness. It’s really joyful when you get the chance to run — even though these runs might happen under the sound of Grads or the roar of fighter jets — there’s a ‘unique atmosphere’ here, but you get used to everything,” she smiles. “Fear is normal, but it shouldn’t paralyze you, and you quickly learn to get used to the sounds of incoming fire and distinguish which ones are far away…
The unit I serve in works with drones. What’s specific about this ‘format’ of war? I didn’t expect it to be so technological: that there would be so many different technologies influencing and even changing the course of the war, playing a decisive role. If you use a drone correctly and intelligently, you can stop enemy assaults — and that’s very important.
“For one combat sortie, we need 15-20 drones. The cost of one starts at 350 dollars, so the expenses are indeed significant. Even though large funds help us, our unit almost always has open fundraisers and needs that must be met for us to work effectively.
The specificity of working with drones is that the technology changes very quickly,” says Anzhelika. “This specialty is not for people who are not ready to learn a lot, work on themselves, and constantly evolve and improve. You always have to look for new ways to do your job best and most effectively, find approaches that the enemy hasn’t thought of yet. Sometimes you find a clever strategy, a ‘loophole’ — but after a while, it no longer works because the enemy isn’t sleeping… Before volunteering, I took paid courses in drone piloting, learned a lot, and after signing the contract, I went for training in the UK.
“In my job, it’s very important to have a good sense of direction, to understand the terrain — I work as a navigator, so it’s crucial for me to understand the landscape and navigate it quickly.
I remember working with ‘Mavics’; conditions were so tough that for some time, we were the only ones flying in our responsibility zone — it was that difficult. The main thing is not to panic and do everything correctly to bring the drone back. It’s important to protect the equipment given to you because there might not be a next one. And this equipment and your work are someone’s saved lives.
When our unit destroys another enemy tank, I realize that this tank will not fire on our positions today. Which means someone from our military will call their family tonight. Have a calm dinner with comrades. Go home. So, I think of my work here in the military as preserving the lives of our people. And it’s this feeling that drives me not to rest for a minute and do everything within my power to hasten victory!”
Foto by Roman Pashkovskyi.
