More than 5,000 Ukrainian women defending country on front lines - official

More than 50,000 women serve with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, of which more than 5,000 are currently on the front lines.

That’s according to Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar, who spoke at the Second International Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, held in Kyiv on July 23, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"In addition to 38,000 military servicewomen, we also have civilian women employed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Therefore, in total, we have more than 50,000 women as part of the Armed Forces. Today, we have more than 5,000 women on the front lines," Maliar said.

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Taking these numbers into account, the deputy minister noted, Ukraine today has one of the highest shares of women in the Army, compared to NATO member states.