British intelligence revealed on Monday that a Russian military company is “specifically trying to recruit women for combat roles” for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine.
British intelligence claims that “recent social media advertisements have called for female recruits for the Borz Battalion, part of the private military company Redut”, before pointing out that the recruits would take on roles as “snipers and unmanned aerial vehicle operators” .
“Redut is likely directly supported by the Russian Intelligence Agency,” they stated.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in March that about 1,100 women had been deployed to Ukraine, which is “only about 0.3% of the armed forces,” according to a statement from the British Ministry of Defense via your account on the social network (formerly Twitter).
Latest update from Defense Intelligence on the situation in Ukraine – October 30, 2023.
Read more about Defense Intelligence’s language: https://t.co/K1AEKNQsaC
#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/1VEiUxiBYU
– Ministry of Defense (@DefenceHQ) October 30, 2023
As Redut’s own announcement states: [as mulheres] mainly occupy positions in medical support and food services,” adding that “it is not clear whether Russian official forces will follow in their footsteps and open more combat positions to women.”
The services point out that this recruitment is “happening for the first time” since the beginning of the Russian invasion, which broke out in February 2022.
“It is uncommon for women to take up combat positions on the front lines of pro-Russian forces during the conflict, although there is a strong tradition of female snipers and other combat troops among Soviet forces during World War II.”
Source: DN
