Female soldiers marching in high heels... Ukraine Ministry of Defense faces gender discrimination controversy

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is facing controversy for having female soldiers march in high heels instead of combat boots while preparing for a large-scale event scheduled for next month.
[Photo by BBC]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is facing controversy for having female soldiers march in high heels instead of combat boots while preparing for a large-scale event scheduled for next month.

On the 3rd (local time), according to the BBC and others, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense released photos the previous day showing female soldiers marching in mid-height black pumps. They were rehearsing for a military event planned for August 24, marking the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Ministry of Defense explained that high heels are part of the prescribed uniform. However, there were criticisms that wearing shoes meant for formal occasions or with the dress uniform is inappropriate for official events.

The opposition parties and others protested, calling it sexist and misogynistic. Forcing female soldiers to wear heels was equated to sexualizing women. Inna Svson, a member of the Holos Party, stated, "It is hard to imagine a more foolish and harmful idea," adding, "Ukrainian female soldiers risk their lives just like men and should not be subjects of ridicule."

Political commentator Vitali Potnikov wrote on his Facebook, "Making female soldiers march in high heels is shameful," and added, "It shows that some officials still have not escaped medieval ways of thinking."

Retired army veteran Maria Berlinska criticized, "This is merely to provoke high-ranking officers in the audience."

Additionally, several members of parliament demanded an apology from Andriy Taran, Ukraine's Minister of Defense, and the BBC reported that many Ukrainian citizens were shocked.

Facing strong backlash, Minister of Defense Andriy Taran eventually met with officer candidates and promised to replace the high heels with more ergonomically suitable footwear.

In Ukraine, women have been allowed to enlist since 1993, and since 2018, they have been able to serve in combat roles such as artillery, snipers, and infantry commanders. Currently, it is known that over 31,000 female soldiers, including more than 4,000 officers, are serving in Ukraine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.