Solutions to win: Ukrainian Ground Forces expand recruitment to middle-strike units, seeking more women

09.09.2026, 16:22 rubryka.com

The middle strike primarily targets Russian logistics and other targets at operational depth. At the same time, a shortage of personnel to staff crews is slowing the development of this area.

The Ground Forces Command expects to partially solve the problem by increasing the number of women in these units. Crews operating middle-strike systems work farther from the front line than operators of many tactical drones.

What tasks can women perform?

The Ground Forces plan to involve women in various areas of work with unmanned systems. These include:

The Separate Presidential Brigade named after Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi already has such experience. There, women service members work with unmanned systems.

Dmytro Udovychenko, acting commander of the unmanned aerial systems company of the 3rd Mechanized Battalion of the Presidential Brigade named after Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, said the unit recruited and trained a group of women through the Drone Force recruiting center.

They now carry out missions to intercept Russian attack drones. In addition, the women service members:

According to Udovychenko, positions for middle-strike systems can be located about 20 kilometers from the line of contact. At the same time, FPV operators in his unit sometimes have to walk 10 to 15 kilometers to reach a position.

After basic and specialized training, service members undergo an additional adaptation period in the unit. During this time, commanders assess a person's skills and determine the area in which they can work most effectively.

Pilots then undergo additional training directly in the unit. Depending on their specialization, it can last one to two months.

The Presidential Brigade links the development of middle strike to changes on the battlefield. According to Udovychenko, a zone about 15 to 20 kilometers deep is now forming between Ukrainian and Russian positions. FPV drones are used actively there, and small infantry groups also infiltrate the area.

At the same time, farther from the front line, Russian forces continue to concentrate personnel and equipment and set up intermediate logistics points. These facilities should be among the main targets for middle-strike systems.

How many women join recruitment

Drone Force said women now account for about 30% of candidates who pass through the recruiting center each month and join the training unit.

Olesia Horiaiinova, co-founder of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, said the previous campaign to attract women to Ground Forces units brought in about 1,500 female candidates.

According to preliminary results of a study by the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, women aged 18 to 24 showed the highest readiness for military service. In this category, 70% of respondents said they were ready, or at least ready, to serve if necessary, and 47% said they were considering joining the military.

Background

As Rubryka reported, as of March 2026, more than 75,000 women serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including more than 55,000 women service members. Their number is growing every year.

It should be noted that Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and the NGO Zemliachky signed a memorandum of cooperation to improve women's military uniforms and test the Female Combat Gear Kit, a set of individual equipment.