Ukraine women’s military clothing factory employs all-female workforce
KYIV - A factory specializing in women’s military clothing in Ukraine has employed an all-female team of seamstresses to address the country’s shortage of specialized gear for women.
The factory has produced specialized gear for more than 10,000 female soldiers in three years since the Russian invasion.
Iryna Nykorak, a Ukrainian lawmaker, is leading the effort. Frustrated by the lack of suitable uniforms, she partnered with the public and various organizations to provide free specialized gear tailored for women soldiers.
“When I recognized that women defenders in the Ukrainian army had to wear men’s underwear, men’s uniform, and everything that was created and sewed according to men’s body shape, I wanted to change this situation,” Nykorak told Rudaw in Kyiv.
She said that thousands of Ukrainian women joining the army as volunteers encouraged her to “change the situation.”
Victoria, who recently returned from the frontlines of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, has been serving in the Ukrainian army since she was 19. She is now 26 and commanding a male battalion.
She called on the government to take responsibility for supporting women in the army.
“A woman who joins the army needs to know that at least basic services will be provided for her. She should have comfortable clothing while performing combat duties, and more than that, because this is a combat position, like the ammunition needed, as well as cleaning supplies because we don't even have cleaning products specific to women,” she said, referencing her experience with American female soldiers as a benchmark.
More than 12,000 civilians have been killed since Russia launched its military campaign against Ukraine in February 2022. An estimated 3.7 million Ukrainians have been displaced internally, while around 6.1 million have sought refuge in Europe and beyond, according to United Nations data.
The factory has produced specialized gear for more than 10,000 female soldiers in three years since the Russian invasion.
Iryna Nykorak, a Ukrainian lawmaker, is leading the effort. Frustrated by the lack of suitable uniforms, she partnered with the public and various organizations to provide free specialized gear tailored for women soldiers.
“When I recognized that women defenders in the Ukrainian army had to wear men’s underwear, men’s uniform, and everything that was created and sewed according to men’s body shape, I wanted to change this situation,” Nykorak told Rudaw in Kyiv.
She said that thousands of Ukrainian women joining the army as volunteers encouraged her to “change the situation.”
Victoria, who recently returned from the frontlines of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, has been serving in the Ukrainian army since she was 19. She is now 26 and commanding a male battalion.
She called on the government to take responsibility for supporting women in the army.
“A woman who joins the army needs to know that at least basic services will be provided for her. She should have comfortable clothing while performing combat duties, and more than that, because this is a combat position, like the ammunition needed, as well as cleaning supplies because we don't even have cleaning products specific to women,” she said, referencing her experience with American female soldiers as a benchmark.
More than 12,000 civilians have been killed since Russia launched its military campaign against Ukraine in February 2022. An estimated 3.7 million Ukrainians have been displaced internally, while around 6.1 million have sought refuge in Europe and beyond, according to United Nations data.