Soviet women in World War II

Women played an important role in the Soviet Union during World War II. Most worked in civilian roles in industry, transport, and agriculture, among other fields—working double or more shifts to make up for the shortage of men who were deployed on the Eastern Front. However, around 800,000 women served in the Red Army as well, with the majority working in medical units with their male counterparts. At peak, they accounted for roughly 5% of the country's total military personnel during the conflict.

Overall, the number of female personnel in the Red Army was 348,309 in 1943, 473,040 in 1944, and 463,503 in 1945. Out of all medical personnel in the Red Army, women comprised 40% of paramedics, 43% of surgeons, 46% of doctors, 57% of medical assistants, and 100% of nurses. Nearly 200,000 women were decorated and 89 of them eventually gained the status of Heroine of the Soviet Union, which was the country's highest honorary title. Among these recipients were pilots, snipers, machine gunners, tank crew members and partisans, and those who were in auxiliary roles.

Following Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, thousands of women who volunteered to enlist were turned away. An informal atmosphere in the military establishment initially sought to keep women out of combat zones, but these attitudes were forced to change as Soviet troops continued to sustain extremely heavy casualties in fierce fighting throughout the European theatre. This shifting reality ensured the emergence of greater opportunities for women who wished to take part in military operations.