‘We want to keep Ukraine free.’ Why women rise in Ukraine army.

Nadia Babych stands watch at a checkpoint near the town of Zolote in eastern Ukraine – a volatile region locked in conflict with Russia. The front-line trenches lie less than a quarter of a mile away.

The mother of two is clear on what is at stake should Russia unleash a fresh invasion against Ukraine, a scenario that has the entire world on edge.

“We are here to protect our country, our families,” she says.

Women – in uniform and not – have been central to efforts to counter Russian aggression since 2014, when Moscow decided to annex Crimea and threw its support behind separatists in the Donbass region. Women now make up almost 10% of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, serve alongside men in combat positions, and are ensured “equal rights”