KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) — When Russia began its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago, a 26-year-old soldier named Monka didn’t see a combat role for which he was qualified. But that’s changing as technology reshapes the battlefield and opens new paths.
Last year, she gave up her job managing a restaurant abroad and returned to Ukraine to serve, joining the army as a short-range first-person view (FPV) drone pilot.
Military officials say her transition is part of a larger trend of more women joining Ukraine’s military in combat roles, a change made possible by technological changes in modern warfare.
“The fact that technology allows us to deliver munitions without having to carry it in your hands or transport it to the front lines is incredible,” said Monka, who serves with the III Corps Unmanned Systems Battalion. She and other women followed Ukrainian military protocol and identified themselves using only call signs.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that by 2025, more than 70,000 women will serve in the Ukrainian army, an increase of 20% from 2022, and more than 5,500 of them will be deployed directly on the front lines.
Some units have targeted women specifically for recruitment efforts and expanded rosters, a sign that Ukraine is seeking to strengthen and expand its military even as peace talks weigh a possible cap on future army size.
Leaders in the capital, Kiev, and many soldiers like Monka see the military as one of Ukraine’s few security bulwarks against Russia.
“We need everyone – engineers, pilots, IT experts, programmers, we just need brains. It’s not about male or female. We need people who are ready to work hard,” she said.
As technology changes, more women seek combat jobs
Military officials say drone piloting is one of the most popular combat careers chosen by women in the Ukrainian military.
When Imla, from Kraken Unit 1654, quit her career as a professional hockey player to join the military, the 27-year-old originally planned to become a combat paramedic.
She spent the first six months as a platoon medic, but the job required learning to fly a drone. She started with small drones, then moved on to larger bomb-carrying drones, and eventually moved on to full-time drone work.
Imra vividly remembers her first drone flight, a reconnaissance mission. When they handed her the controller, her hands were shaking with nervousness.
“To be honest, sometimes I wanted to cry,” she recalled. “But over time, you gain work experience and start to feel confident.”
The Khartiia Corps is recruiting more women, a 20% increase since 2024. About six months ago, the brigade launched a recruitment campaign targeting women in combat and technical roles in partnership with the Dignitas Foundation, a charitable organization that supports Ukraine by funding technological innovation and civic development projects.
“Dozens of women have joined us in combat positions in recent months and have been successful,” said Volodymyr Dehtyarov, public affairs officer of the Hatiya Corps. “The more technology we have, such as drones, the more historically male careers open up.”
Khatia has begun training officers and future commanders on how to work with mixed forces that include people of different ages, genders and backgrounds, which Dekhtyarov said helps commanders become more effective leaders.
Women still face barriers
The Ukrainian military remains conservative at its core, and some units do not make it easy for women.
A 25-year-old soldier with the call sign “Yaha” enlisted in the army in 2023 and initially served as an army clerk, responsible for clerical work. Three months later, she started asking for drone courses. The commander at the time did not respond enthusiastically and instead suggested that she change the chef.
“It was unpleasant for me because I didn’t expect such uncomfortable conditions and such strict restrictions,” Yaha said.
In the kitchen, she spent her free time studying the drone manual, practicing on a simulator and training at a computer club using a controller she purchased.
“I like that you can hit enemies from a distance,” she said. “So I think that’s our future.”
Eventually, she became a bomber drone pilot with the 9th Brigade.
“War isn’t cool or glamorous. It’s pain, suffering and loss. You do it just because you want to make a difference,” she said. “But you’re not invincible. You’re just a human being like everyone else.”
Cubi, a 20-year-old FPV technician from the Khartiia brigade, prepares drones for the battlefield in a dark, dank basement near the front line in eastern Ukraine.
She initially faced prejudice from soldiers who claimed she was less technically capable because she was a woman. But she also had a supportive male colleague who helped her take the first steps toward becoming an FPV technician, which she found more interesting than being a pilot.
“There needs to be more women in the military,” said Chibi, whose hair is dyed pink and dark blue. “The more women there are, the better people will treat them.”
The military needs more women
Olha Meloshyna, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said it was a mistake to think the drone role was safer because the Russians were actively hunting drone operators.
Their forces are seeing an increase in women entering technical positions, including drone operations, drone maintenance and electronic warfare, as drones become one of the main tools for strike and reconnaissance on the battlefield.
Meloshyna said 4.2 percent of the unmanned systems force is female, a number she believes is important because women voluntarily enlist.
“We were part of the new Ukrainian army that was formed during the invasion. So we never had any differences in terms of gender-based acceptance in the armed forces – what matters to us is desire and motivation,” she said.
She said they are now conducting a more media-focused recruitment drive, inviting and planning to recruit 15,000 people, including women, to join. Recruiters say women are applying for both combat and non-combat positions.
“The Unmanned Systems Force is a system and it is made up of men and women,” Meloshna said. “No drone is autonomous. It requires human involvement. The more personnel we have, the more drones will be flown to Russia.”