Women at the front: why Ukraine cannot repeat the Israeli model of the army

The head of the Council of Reservists of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ivan Tymochko, believes that the participation of women in the Ukrainian army is not a matter of politics or gender disputes, but a military necessity. According to him, it is high time for the society to realize that the defense of the country is a joint matter, and women have the same right and duty to be part of it as men.

"The less women hide behind men's backs, the fewer votes there will be for their conscription under pressure," Tymochko said. He emphasized that the military reserve should be formed not only among men, because the legislation provides for the participation of women on equal terms. At the same time, it is not only about combat positions. The modern army needs specialists in information work, lawyers, accountants, doctors, IT specialists, specialists in cyber protection and personnel management.

It is in these directions, according to Tymochka, that the participation of women can be extremely effective. He reminds that in the conditions of a hybrid war, the rear, logistics, analytics and communication are no less important than the front. "Everyone who supports the combat capability of the army - regardless of gender - is already its soldier," he emphasized. At the same time, Tymochko criticizes politicians and bloggers who speculate on the topic of women's mobilization.

According to him, every time the state takes steps to streamline military records, populists appear who try to turn it into an informational show. "When someone shouts, 'I won't allow women to be drafted,' it's not concern, it's manipulation. That's how they create panic, instead of a serious conversation about defense," the officer explains. Ukraine has already taken several practical steps in this direction.

In particular, from July 30, 2025, women with medical and pharmaceutical education are automatically enrolled in military registration without personal presence at the TCC. This simplifies the procedure and makes it possible to keep records of specialists who can be useful to the army at a critical moment. In addition, Tymochko reminded that students who have completed basic military training take an oath and enroll in the reserve, regardless of gender.

Conscription is possible for them after 25 years, provided they are fit for service. The topic of women's mobilization periodically causes a wave of controversy in society, but, as the military points out, the reality of the front shows: gender equality in the Armed Forces is not a fashion, but practicality. From gunners and snipers to medics and analysts, today women perform tasks without which the army simply could not exist. "Stereotypes have not worked for a long time.

In every field there are those who are capable of being a professional — and gender does not matter here," concluded Tymochko. The inclusion of women in the army, according to him, is not only about justice, but also about the survival of the state. At a time when Ukraine is fighting for its existence, the question of women's mobilization ceases to be emotional — it becomes a question of defense capability, responsibility and maturity of society.

In the expert circle, there are opinions that every time the topic of women's mobilization comes up, it is not just an information burst - it is a test of the mood of the society. The authorities are "playing the long game", testing to what extent Ukrainians are ready to accept the possibility that women can really be called into service - even if only in rear roles at first.

According to military expert Dmytro Snegiryov, statements about mobilization are mutually contradictory: some claim that the current number of mobilized soldiers meets the needs of the Defense Forces, while others claim that there is a shortage of personnel at the front. Some politicians, such as Maryana Bezugla, and the media in general spread panic hypotheses — they say that Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro are under threat.

In this situation, you need to understand: who raises the topic and for what purpose? If they are activists or populists, this is, most often, probing the society: they throw a touchstone and look at the reaction. "As for mobile fire groups and air defense, if their activities are systematically discredited, then there is no reason at all to talk about the involvement of women.

After all, if it is claimed that the effectiveness of these groups is zero, then it is logical to argue not about who to involve, but about whether the groups themselves work.

At the same time, the enemy is copying the Ukrainian experience and trying to use such mobile units to cover critical objects - therefore, the issue is not only in personnel, but also in information discipline And this despite the fact that the country already has very strict information control — but discipline in the information field is still lacking," Snegiryov tells Focus. Regarding the example of Israel: it is often cited as a model.

However, there is an important nuance — in Israel, service is mandatory for all levels of society, and social status or the ability to go abroad do not save one from service. Therefore, the direct transfer of the Israeli model to Ukraine without taking into account social differences is wrong. According to the expert, there are examples of double standards in Ukraine: for example, officials who call for strict measures against evasion, themselves have relatives abroad.

This undermines the moral right of such figures to make public appeals. "When we hear loud statements about the need for total mobilization, including women, we need to see who exactly is saying it. For example, the deputy head of the Recruiting Center Ihor Shvayka called Ukrainians who went abroad "rats running away from the ship. " But his son and daughter live in Belgium.

Minister of Social Policy Denys Ulyutin publicly supports mobilization, but his my daughter is studying to be a veterinarian in Estonia, and the cost of this education is over UAH 200,000. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Vadym Prystaiko talks about the lack of mobilization capacity, but at the same time his sons do not live in Ukraine. This is the main difference between Ukraine and Israel. There, service is mandatory for everyone, regardless of status, money or surname.

And the army has become our destiny mainly socially vulnerable population groups. And while those who call for mobilization are sending their own children abroad, it is cynical and untrue to compare us with Israel," Snegiryov believes.

Also, according to the expert, it is not clear why raise the topic of forced mobilization of women when there are unengaged internal reserves? "For example, special pensioners are former employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine who retire at the age of 45, but are often not involved in the defense of the state. Their number is estimated at about three hundred thousand - people with experience in handling weapons.

Why not start with them? Why not effectively use the existing mobilization reserves, instead of raising the sensitive topic of the mobilization of women? Especially when a large part of the male population deliberately avoids service. in addition, one must remember the ratio of forces: the number of the Defense Forces of Ukraine is about one million, the estimates of the occupying forces are from 700 to 750 thousand.

Therefore, the issue is not only in the number of people, but in their quality and resource management," continues the expert. According to Snegiryov, the proposals to "raise everyone and attack" are the rhetoric of the past, a legacy of scoop thinking. The war of the 21st century is a war of technologies. That is why the Ukrainian Defense Forces effectively use the "wall of drones" tactics and other technological solutions.

"Instead of thinking about the mass use of people's bodies, it is necessary to develop the technological component of the army. Israel is an example in this: it keeps the situation at the expense of technology, and not through millions of masses in the ranks. So, the conclusion: before raising the topic of mobilizing women, it is necessary to put order in one's own ranks.

One should start with those layers and reserves that already exist - special pensioners, reserves of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and others agencies — and only after that openly discuss the role of women in the defense system. Informational discipline and the honesty of public discussions should be a priority: you should not trust those who do not have the moral right to speak on behalf of society or are not ready to act on their words," the expert summarizes.

And finally, Snegiriev advises to remember the words of George Orwell: "All war propaganda - all screams, lies and hatred - always come from people who do not fight themselves. " We will remind that Ivan Tymochko also said that after passing basic general military training, students take an oath and are enrolled in the reservists, regardless of age. At the same time, they will be subject to conscription after the age of 25, if they are fit for service.