Ukraine to create a unified military uniform for women
For the first time in the history of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the state will create a unified women's military uniform for women serving in the army.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense said that volunteers of two initiative groups are already engaged in developing the uniform, BBC News Ukraine reports.
One of them is overseen by the first lady Olena Zelenska's Barrier-Free project. The second group—Arm Women Now—was headed by Kyiv Council member Iryna Nikorak. Now they are working together, the Ministry of Defense noted.
Volunteers were asked to analyze the experience of women's uniforms in the armies of other countries, paying attention to the types of figures. It will allow women to choose clothes individually in the first stages.
Iryna Nikorak says the first batch of pants, jackets, and tactical underwear will be given to Ukrainian defenders free of charge this week to test the uniform and make sure it is functional and comfortable.
The patterns for the uniform were designed per the women's uniform of the US Armed Forces, one of the best in the world. The MP says that clothes for the military were sewn from a high-quality "pixel" fabric ordered in Poland.
Arm Women Now also plans to produce:
- t-shirts,
- tactical ubox shirts,
- thermal underwear,
- warm winter clothes, which will be developed according to new patterns.
The idea of producing a unified women's military uniform appeared after numerous requests from women currently fighting on the front lines, the author of the Arm Women Now project emphasizes.
Nikorak also explained that men's sizes and styles of military uniforms did not correspond to women's. For example, trousers may fit nicely on the hips but are too big at the waist, and coats have long sleeves, so the shoulder drops almost to the elbow.
"Women have to sew the uniform or adjust it with pins and a tactical belt in field conditions. It is inconvenient and non-functional," the author of the project emphasizes.
Arm Women Now is funded by donations and auctions featuring show business stars and athletes. So far, volunteers have already managed to collect 400,000 hryvnias. It was enough to sew 300 sets of military uniforms for women.
In addition, the project cooperates with the Ministry of Defense. According to Iryna Nikorak, when the uniform is tested on the front lines, the department can approve a single standard for women's uniforms and allocate money for this in the budget.
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