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War in Ukraine: women hired to participate in mine clearance operations
War in Ukraine: women hired to participate in mine clearance operations
(Franceinfo)
As kyiv faces a shortage of soldiers, more and more women are taking part in the country’s defense by participating in mine clearance operations. Meet some of them.
Land now cultivable. In Snigourivka, in southern Ukraine, a farmer can return to work after two years of war. “Before, there were mines everywhere”, explains Mykola Murai. The area was secured by a mine clearance unit, mainly made up of women. Among them, Valeria Ponomareva. In two years, his daily life has been turned upside down. “I worked in manicure and was a hairdresser before the conflict. I feel like a heroine”she says.
In Ukraine, the mine clearance profession is the preserve of men. But the Russian invasion changed the rules. More and more women are joining the army, while numbers are falling. “It’s more and more common. Women, whose husbands are in the war and have children, want to join us because they want to serve the country”, describes Oleksandr Panomarenko, head of the demining unit. A third of Ukrainian deminers are women.
