Expecting on the Front Lines: Motherhood in Ukraine’s Military [Cassandra Vinograd and Oleksandr Chubko | AUG 25 2025 | nytimes.com] (www.nytimes.com)
from jimmydoreisalefty@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 31 Aug 21:45
https://lemmy.world/post/35264556

Pregnant Ukrainian soldiers say they are fighting for the future of their country and for their children.

Ukraine’s military is finding it hard to recruit young men as the war with Russia grinds on, but women — all volunteers — are a bright spot. The number of women serving has grown more than 20 percent to about 70,000 since Russia’s invasion in 2022.

While the U.S. Army and many other militaries remove pregnant soldiers from combat zones, Ukrainian women usually serve until their seventh month. And that is in a military that doctors and soldiers say is ill-equipped to support them — from uniforms that don’t fit pregnant women, to a lack of prenatal care and nurseries — amid the costs and challenges of fighting the war.

Nadia said that after her baby was born, she was allowed 126 days of paid leave if she wanted to return to the front. Otherwise, she could take off three years, unpaid.

She had initially been hesitant to return to service after giving birth in late 2021, worried that a military salary would not support her family. The Russian invasion changed everything, she said.

Finding a unit to accept her back wasn’t easy, Valentyna said, partly because of the sexism that experts say is pervasive in the Ukrainian military. Several turned her down, including one whose commander said she should stay home with her baby. She did not get approval until August 2023 — when her son was 18 months old.

In Ukraine, the military covers 126 days of maternity leave. After that, the state provides about $170 a month for the child.

The Ukrainian military did not respond to questions about how many women were pregnant or had given birth in the ranks, or about prenatal care for soldiers.

While Olya has officially quit the military, she plans to re-enlist in a year or so. “We have very few people left with the necessary level of experience and professionalism,” she said. “And this is a long game, so we are needed.”^[[1] archive.ph/7t2QU]

#world