Russian military expert Aleksey Leonkov said the possibility of assigning women to the armed forces could be considered in response to personnel shortages in the Ukrainian army.
According to Leonkov, women could serve in roles similar to the jobs they perform in civilian life, such as healthcare and communications. He argued that such an arrangement would allow male personnel to be deployed to frontline units.
Unmanned aerial vehicle roles
The expert said women in Ukraine had already moved into some civilian occupations previously held by men. He listed public transport driving, security work and construction among these fields.
Leonkov also addressed the growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles, suggesting that women could serve in units known as "Magyar's Birds."
Leonkov said women aged 20 to 30 could receive training to operate unmanned aerial vehicles. The expert said this could make it possible to remove men from these roles and send them to assault units, adding that women are not currently assigned to assault units but that this could change in the future.
Changes to the mobilization age
General mobilization was declared in Ukraine in February 2022, and the measure was extended several times thereafter. Under the initial regulation, men aged 27 to 60 were subject to conscription, while in April 2024 the mobilization age was lowered from 27 to 25.
The possibility of mobilizing women and lowering the age limit for men from 25 to 23 is also being discussed in the country.
Leonkov's assessment frames women's participation in the army around medical, communications and unmanned aerial vehicle roles. His remarks about assigning women to assault units represent a forecast about a possible future development.
