A second type of bulletproof vest specifically designed for women has been approved after undergoing testing, Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 11.
The first sample of body armor for female soldiers was approved on Dec. 27. The company responsible for the design, Ukrainian Armor, led a campaign to draw attention to the need for body armor for women serving in the military.
Over 62,000 women voluntarily serve in Ukraine's Armed Forces, 5,000 of whom have active combat roles. They generally rely on uniforms and armor designed for men, or buy their own gear or find supplies via non-profits.
Temp3000, a major supplier of protective gear to the Ukrainian military, produced the second design.
Olena Goncharova
The vest features adjustable shock absorbers, allowing each woman to alter the armor to fit her body.
Like the Ukrainian Armor vest, the Temp3000 vest weighs at least 10.5 kilograms, which does not differ from other body armor currently used by the Ukrainian military.
"Both samples are available for centralized procurement," the Defense Ministry said, adding that the General Staff will indicate how many are needed.
Ukrainian Armor has indicated it can produce up to 10,000 vests within 90 days, while Temp3000 can produce 5,000 vests per month if ordered in advance, Deputy Defense Minister Vitalii Polovenko said.
The Defense Ministry approved a standard sample of summer field uniforms for female soldiers in August, 18 months into the full-scale invasion.
Daria Shulzhenko
(Updated: )
