VETERANKA: Women Veterans Shaping Ukraine’s Future

On International Women’s Day, the European Cultural Foundation recognises the women of the VETERANKA Movement, a community of veterans that supports women in the military, protects women’s rights in the security and defence forces, and helps women veterans return to civilian life. VETERANKA is a partner in Culture Helps Solidarity, a Creative Europe programme led by the European Cultural Foundation together with Insha Osvita and zusa. The programme supports cultural workers, veterans, and communities as they navigate the social and emotional realities of the war.

The movement grew from the experience of women who took part in Ukraine’s defence and ensured their service became visible in the country’s laws and institutions. In 2015, Ukrainian veterans launched the Invisible Battalion campaign to document the role women played in the war. Their research and advocacy led to a historic decision in 2018 when Ukraine opened 63 combat positions to women in the Armed Forces. The campaign created a new legal framework for recognition and advancement.

Out of that moment, women veterans founded the VETERANKA Movement. Today, the organisation connects more than 3,000 members and works with a global network of volunteers supporting women in Ukraine’s security and defence sector. Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, the movement has mobilised resources on a national scale. VETERANKA has raised more than 111 million UAH for frontline support and delivered 106 vehicles, over 50,000 medical units and over 34,000 pieces of ammunition and gear to women serving in combat units.

At its Kyiv headquarters, the organisation operates a sewing workshop producing military uniforms designed specifically for women. Hundreds of uniforms have reached female defenders across Ukraine. The workshop also trains veterans and volunteers, creating professional pathways that support reintegration into civilian life. Rehabilitation and psychological care form another pillar of the movement’s work. VETERANKA supports women recovering from combat injuries through medical rehabilitation, counselling and peer networks that help veterans rebuild their health and livelihoods. The movement also contributes to how Ukrainian society remembers the war. Since 2019, VETERANKA has planted Alleys of Memory in cities across the country. Each apple tree commemorates a woman who lost her life defending Ukraine, creating public spaces where remembrance becomes part of everyday civic life.

In January 2026, the organisation convened the Memory Polis Forum in Kyiv, bringing together artists, researchers, and civil society organisations to explore how wartime experiences shape collective memory. More than 120 participants attended in person, and hundreds joined the conversation online. Through advocacy, frontline support and community leadership, the women of VETERANKA continue to shape Ukraine’s public life.

On International Women’s Day, their work stands as a powerful example of how women’s leadership strengthens resilience, builds solidarity and helps societies move forward even in the most difficult moments.

In honour of International Women’s Rights Day, the VETERANKA Movement is launching the large-scale “Women Can Do Anything!” campaign and a major 6,000,000 UAH fundraiser to strengthen the units where our sisters-in-arms serve.

Illustration: Anna Ivanenko — a renowned Ukrainian illustrator, graphic designer, and co-founder of the Seri\graph studio.