Ukraine’s female soldiers are battling against Russians and sexism

War, the military, combat, the frontline — all traditionally seen as a “man’s world” despite the many official and unofficial contributions that women have made both on the battlefield and on the home front in conflicts over the centuries.

Women’s role in warfare is rapidly changing in the modern age, however, and particularly in Ukraine where Russia’s invasion has prompted thousands of women to sign up and serve in the military, both on the frontline and in non-combat roles.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said last October that almost 43,000 women are currently serving in the military, a 40% increase since 2021, before Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Female combatants in Ukraine say the war is changing societal perceptions of a woman’s strength, capabilities and worth, but change doesn’t happen overnight. Sexism, prejudice and discrimination are still rife, they told CNBC, and they feel they constantly have to prove themselves to their male colleagues.

“On the battlefield, due to the fact that you are a woman, you must prove your ability to perform a combat mission with quality. On the other hand, if you’re a man, you don’t need to prove anything,” noted Iryna Tsybukh, a combat medic in the Hospitallers Medical Battalion for the last four years.

“This discrimination is manifested in the doubt of the commander who does not want to give you difficult tasks because he is afraid that you will not fulfil them because you are a woman,” she said in emailed comments to CNBC.

Tsybukh described her current role as a “crew chief in a very female-friendly unit,” saying she felt safe and respected by her peers because of…