Woman soldiers made to march in heels, netizens outraged

Ukrainian authorities invited the wrath of netizens after official photographs of Ukrainian female soldiers marching in heels were released by Ukraine’s defence ministry on Friday.

The images show the soldiers clad in military fatigues and marching in black high-heeled shoes. The soldiers were practicing ahead of a military parade next month to mark 30 years of independence following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

According to AFP, on the ministry’s information site ArmiaInform, cadet Ivanna Medvid is quoted as saying: “Today, for the first time, training takes place in heeled shoes.”

She later added: “It is slightly harder than in army boots but we are trying.”

Netizens also accused the images of sexualising women soldiers – over 30,000 of who serve in the country’s armed forces, including more than 4,000 officers.

More than 13,500 Ukrainian women have fought against pro-Russian separatists in the east since the conflict began seven years ago.