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Women drone operators in the Ukrainian military

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"Ksena", an FPV drone operator in the Kharkiv-based 127th Heavy Mechanized Brigade (ca. June 2026)[1]<br>Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, women in the Ukrainian military{{cite web |last=Khomenko |first=Ivan |title=Ukraine's Drone Strategy Leaves Russia Losing More Troops Than It Can Replace for Five Consecutive Months |website=United24 Media |date=4 May 2026 |url=https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraines-drone-strategy-leaves-russia-losing-more-troops-than-it-can-replace-for-five-consecutive-months-18446 |access-date=3 July 2026}} Other Ukrainian military and security organisations employing strike (and reconnaissance) drones include (but are not limited to) the [[National Guard of Ukraine]] (such as units within the [[13th Khartiia Brigade]] and [[1st Azov Corps]]), the [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU, known for [[Operation Spiderweb]]), the [[Main Directorate of Intelligence (Ukraine)|Defence Intelligency of Ukraine]] (HUR), and the [[State Border Guard Service of Ukraine]], while [[Unmanned surface vehicle|USVs]] such as the [[Sea Baby]] are operated by the [[Ukrainian Navy]] in coordination with the HUR and SBU."}},"i":0}}]}'>[a] have increasingly served as drone operators and in drone-supporting functions, a role previously almost exclusively taken by men.[3] As women in Ukraine are not subject to the 2022 Ukrainian mobilisation,{{Cite news |title=Ukraine launches major army reform: fixed contracts, revamped pay structure, and broader access for foreigners |last=Murdoch |first=Benjamin |work=[[Euromaidan Press]] |date=2026-06-12 |access-date=2026-06-30 |url= https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/06/12/ukraine-launches-major-army-reform/}}"}},"i":0}}]}'>[b] they join on a voluntary basis,[5][6][7] primarily motivated by a sense of duty to their country and their fellow Ukrainians.{{Cite news |title=Ukrainian Women Who Joined the Military to Fight the Russian Invasion |last=Barkhush |first=Amira |work=[[United24 Media]] |date=30 July 2025 |access-date=2026-07-01 |url= https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukrainian-women-who-joined-the-military-to-fight-the-russian-invasion-10286}}"}},"i":0}}]}'>[c]{{cite web |last=Kirichenko |first=David |title='I had no fear': From schoolgirl volunteer to frontline drone hunter, the young Ukrainian women who say war left them no choice but to fight back |website=[[LBC]] |date=11 February 2026 |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/ukraine-women-drone-operator-yuliia-didenko-frontline-5HjdSBr_2/ |access-date=30 June 2026}}"}},"i":0}}]}'>[d][10][11][6][12][1]

Statistics<br>[edit]

See also: Women in the Ukrainian military § Personnel statistics

By early 2024, 70,000 women (8%) served in Ukraine's military (a 20% increase since 2022, and a 40% increase since 2021), about 5,500 of those in combat roles.[10][6][5] In June 2024, then–Deputy Minister of Defence Natalia Kalmykova (since September 2024 Minister for Veterans Affairs) said that women were increasingly choosing professions in the military that, traditionally speaking, had not been considered feminine, such as shooting, controlling artillery systems, and operating drones.[13] When the Drone Force Recruitment and Training Centre of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine (USF) (a branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine[a]) was established in May 2024, c. 10–11% of new entrants were women.[14] As of December 2025, women accounted for 4.2% of all current personnel in the USF.[5] By May 2026, 20% of new Drone Force recruits were women, with one intake in autumn 2025 seeing as many as 40% female recruits.[14]

Ukrainian FPV drones (July 2023)<br>There are no precise figures of how many women serve as drone operators in Ukraine;[12] estimates suggest thousands of women have been deployed as drone pilots and front-line technicians by December 2025.[5] By that time, drone pilot had become one of the most popular combat professions for female recruits.[5][15] Most Ukrainian women serve in mixed-gender drone combat crews, sometimes as leaders.[12][10] In November 2025, the National Guard of Ukraine deployed its first all-female FPV drone combat crew,[e] as part of the larger Pilotless Systems Detachment "Typhoon".[f][9][10] By February 2026, the all-women "Harpies" strike unit was established within the 9th Unmanned Systems Brigade of the USF, receiving customised Vampire bomber drones [uk] developed specifically for women operators.[9]

Position<br>[edit]

See also: Women in the Ukrainian military § Position

Combat and noncombat roles<br>[edit]

Until the Verkhovna Rada passed a new law in 2018, women were officially barred from serving in combat roles within the military.[6] Some still did so anyway, while officially serving in...