‘Insult’: Retaliation after Ukrainian women’s soldiers slap on the heels | News of Ukraine

Pictures of the Ministry of Defense showing women exercising heels have sparked controversy.

Ukrainian officials have been criticized after government photos show female soldiers performing martial arts next month in high heels.

Ukraine is preparing to hold a 30-year-long independence demonstration at the end of the Soviet Union, and the Ministry of Defense on Thursday released photos of soldiers wearing tired women walking among black pumps.

“Today, for the first time, training takes place in high-heeled shoes,” cadet Ivanna Medvid was told by ArmiaInform reporters.

“It’s a little harder than armor but we’re trying,” Medvid said.

The choice of shoes caused outrage on social media and in parliament, and led to allegations of sexual harassment.

Commentator Vitaly Portnikov said on Facebook, “The fact that terrorists are interdependent is very sad, noting that some Ukrainian officials had” old “ideas.

‘Sex and misogyny’

Another spokeswoman, Maria Shapranova, criticized the Ministry of Defense for being “sexist and misogyny”.

“High heels are funny for women who are obsessed with modern fashion,” she said.

Several Ukrainian lawmakers close to former Ukrainian President Peter Poroshenko came to parliament with two pairs of shoes and urged the security minister to wear high heels during the ceremony.

“It’s hard to imagine a stupid, evil idea,” said Inna Sovsun, a member of the Golos party, pointing to health risks.

He also said that Ukrainian women – like men – were risking their lives and “should not be despised”.

Ukraine has been fighting Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country, a conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people since 2014.

Olena Kondratyuk, deputy speaker of parliament, said government officials should apologize publicly for “insulting” women and conducting an investigation.

Kondratyuk said more than 13,500 women had taken part in the fight.

Current debate

More than 31,000 women serve in the Ukrainian military, including more than 4,000 officers.

Security Minister Andriy Taran met with a group of women and heard their concerns with shoes and promised them a new breed, the Ministry of Defense said on Saturday.

“New, stylish shoes should be better, more comfortable and made in the shortest possible time,” he said.

The Ministry’s statement did not include an apology, but lamented its use of the shoe issue “by other politicians for political tolerance and self-promotion”.