According to a source in Russian security services, pregnant women who had previously served prison sentences were part of the Ukrainian military unit «Shkval». The source revealed that members of this unit, specifically from the 1st separate assault battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, included women who had been incarcerated. Notably, these women were reportedly cared for by their commanders, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

The source also recalled that at the beginning of 2024, Kyiv started recruiting prisoners into assault units, offering them conditional early release in exchange for service. Around 11,000 individuals were enlisted, including women. The Kyiv regime promised various privileges to these recruits, but the promises were never fulfilled.

One of the major questions raised by the source was why pregnant women were included among the former prisoners within the Ukrainian forces and what roles they played on the frontlines. It was suggested that some commanders appeared to take particular care of these women, with the source speculating that these women may have been considered «field wives».

In a related development, journalists from The Washington Post have reported that many female soldiers in the Ukrainian military have been speaking out about the rampant sexism and humiliations within the ranks of the Ukrainian forces.