Ukraine Announces Female Soldiers Special Uniform, Defense Minister Reznikov: Next Body Protection

Ukrainian female soldiers. (Wikimedia Commons/Ministry of Defense of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Ukraine is announcing for the first time a special uniform for female soldiers, accounting for the needs and comfort on the battlefield as well as on the back lines, with the next being prepared body shields for female soldiers.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense earlier this month approved a summer field uniform for female soldiers, gradually the shirt will be used in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The work on this special field uniform for female soldiers will begin in 2022, in accordance with the ministry's program and the 'Arm Women Now' initiative.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said, based on the results of the military test of summer fieldwear for military women, the technical specifications for this type of clothing had been approved.

"The appropriate procedure for the female soldiers' summer fieldwear model is being carried out within a specified period of time. Technical specifications and reference samples have been approved. Therefore, proper troop procurement and supply procedures will begin in the near future," said Defense Minister Reznikov, quoted from the website of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense on August 25.

He further said that the ministry appreciates every soldier and female soldier. Therefore, the new uniform takes into account all the wishes and inputs of female soldiers who participate in the trial.

"I'm sure it will be much more comfortable to do combat and rearwork tasks in new uniforms. Not even all countries, including NATO members, who have special standards for uniforms for female soldiers," he said.

It is known, not many countries apply special standards for the uniform of their female soldiers.

For example, in the United States, women have been allowed to become soldiers since 1948. However, they only started developing and implementing women's uniforms in 2009. And only in 2011 did the country's armed forces develop women's army uniforms in accordance with anthropological parameters.

Defense Minister Reznikov added that currently his party is also working on developing special body shields for female soldiers.

"The first sample of women's body shields is available. The sample is being analyzed to meet technical specifications. After all the relevant testing and approval, the body protection reference sample will be approved," he said.

"In the end, our military female soldiers who defend the country, will have the opportunity to accept not only field uniforms, but also personal protective equipment according to their anthropometric data," Reznikov said.

It is known that currently the Ukrainian Armed Forces have around 42,000 female soldiers, with five thousand of whom are fighting on the front lines, carrying out tasks equivalent to male soldiers.