Bucha's fierce females: The "witches" and "valkyries" defending Ukraine
Residents of Bucha, Ukraine, have organized a Volunteer Territorial Community Formation. The unit includes many women, called "Witches" and "Valkyries," reports the Meduza portal. "They are often more motivated than men," said the unit commander.
Bucha is unmistakably associated with the genocide that occurred in 2022 during the Russian occupation of the city. After repelling Russian forces, the graves of hundreds of civilians were discovered here. Many men from Bucha went to the front. There are 70 available positions in the unit.
Women have volunteered to fill the vacancies. Each admitted woman has a designated role: driver, shooter, scout, gunner, or responsible for the group's cover while working on air targets.
The women who come to us are often more motivated than men. Many of them are mothers, caregivers. And then the Russians came, ruining their lives. They unleashed such energy (...). God forbid the Russians come here again! It will be a disaster for them. Ukrainian women are more fervent than men - said the group commander Andriy Werlatyj.
"Witches" and "Valkyries" are equipped with 7.62-millimetre Maxim machine guns. Each weighs around 25 kilograms and fires 600 rounds per minute. The ladies do not complain about the weight and proudly carry their machine guns.
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Many people laugh, but I want to clarify that the ladies are very effective - said 51-year-old Colonel Werlatyj, chief of staff of the territorial community formation.
One of the members serving in Bucha is Elena. In 2023, she came to the city to work as a doctor in a local clinic. She saw the announcement and volunteered with a friend from Odesa. As a result, both women serve in the mobile group "Witches."
My goal is the safety and peaceful sleep of people. My dream is the end of the war and the return of everyone from the front and captivity - said Elena.
Another volunteer is Valentina, "Valkyrie," who is a veterinarian by profession. In February 2022, she found herself under occupation in her home in Kyiv Oblast - she witnessed the bombing of Hostomel airport and the shelling of Irpin and Bucha.
Some time ago, she joined the Bucha unit. She thought she wouldn't manage during the fitness tests. Unnecessarily, she managed to complete the obstacle course twice.
My place is here. Without us, this war won't end. We've had enough of sitting at home in the kitchen. We can take up arms, come to defend a piece of our land, our community - said "Valkyrie".
Some women do not want to be named. Some are not ready to talk about themselves and show their faces on camera. Some women still have not informed their relatives about their active participation in the war. There are also women whose relatives still live in occupied territories or have been taken prisoner.
