Gorgeous, but Lethal

Women are breaking barriers in the Russian military. With at least 115K women serving in the army, they are proving to be a force to be reckoned with. The history of women in their military dates back to 1710, when Empress Anna Ivanovna created the first all-female regiment.

However, it wasn’t until 1941 that the Soviet Union formed combat units for women. Today, women serve in a variety of roles in the country’s Armed Forces, including as pilots, snipers, and tank drivers. It’s a far cry from the fate of the first all-female battalion, which was disbanded after just three months of fighting.