In Ukraine, these unsuspected allies annihilate enemy drones

As Ukrainian soldiers begin to seriously wear out, new allies are coming to the rescue... Unforeseen forces.

Although they're not officially mobilisable, more and more women are joining the army in order to protect their country from what comes from the sky. Franceinfo went to see this mobilisation up close, in the Ukrainian town of Boutcha, north-west of Kiev.

Those called “the Witches of Boutcha” equip themselves with machine guns and train to destroy enemy drones. Franceinfo met one of them; Valentina, 51 years old, a mother. She joined the air defence five months ago, to replace the men who went to fight directly on the front line. “During my first mission, it was pitch black. I saw flashes of light in the sky. It was really scary,” she confides.

It's about ten women who, every Saturday, practice in a forest near Boutcha. For most, carrying a weapon and using it was not a known experience. “It makes me want to do it again and shoot more. But this time, I’ll make sure to adjust my helmet properly,” recounts a volunteer.

(MH with Manon Pierre - Source: Franceinfo - Illustration: ©Unsplash)