In July 2026, the Ukrainian Defence Procurement Agency (DOT) made its first purchase of women’s body armor. The initial 2,000 vests have already been delivered to female soldiers serving in combat units. DOT has confirmed to BodyArmorNews that female service members are currently using and evaluating the new equipment, and that a dedicated feedback mechanism is in place to systematically collect and analyze their operational experience. The total value of the vests lies at 47 million UAH, or circa 910,000 EUR.
Military Gear Should Fit “Like Second Skin”
The manufacturing of body armor for women comes at a crucial time, as Ukraine has been in an ongoing war since 2022. A female officer with the National Guard of Ukraine, identified by her call sign ”Kudriava”, spoke to CBC News about having worn standard body armor designed for men for the first year of the war. She explained that over the years, she had to start sourcing her own uniform and body armor, which she says is “not an ideal situation”.
Kudriava explained that military gear should fit like “second skin”. If it’s uncomfortable, soldiers can lose focus in their mission. “When you’re in operation and you have some tasks [from] your commander, you shouldn’t think about your uniform, you should think to save your life, to save life of your personnel and to do best in this operation,” she said to CBC News.
The 2,000 vests come in basic configurations 1-5. Each vest includes cushioning and ventilation support in addition to standard body armor components. They’re made of ceramic-composite materials and are produced in the MM-14 camouflage pattern. A significant component is their curved plates, fitting women’s anatomy better than standard flat plates.
A Matter of Survival
Wearing poorly fitting armor doesn’t only make a soldier’s job harder, but comes with a significantly increased risk of fatal injuries. Since flat ballistic plates rest against female soldiers’ chests, the plate angles outwards, creating gaps near the neck and torso. This causes soldiers to be much more exposed to the risk of top-down munitions, shrapnel and bullets. In Ukraine, where drone and elevation threats are significant, any gaps in body armor are hazardous.
Ukrainian MP Iryna Nykorak has raised concerns regarding the lack of fitting body armor for women. She states that majority of Ukrainian women serving in combat wear ballistic plates for men. They’re often too bulky and don’t fit their chests. Because of the poor fit, some women choose not to wear the plates at all. “Right now, women must adapt to the current system, not vice versa … She left her home, her family, sometimes in the majority of cases children, and joined the army. She sacrificed a lot … It’s a respect to women’s dignity”, Nykorak stated to CBC News.
Arsen Zhumadilov, director of DOT, also emphasized the importance of properly fitting protective gear for women. In a press release regarding the women’s vests, he gave a statement regarding equal needs for protection. “Women today carry out combat missions on an equal footing with men, so personal protective equipment must meet the highest safety requirements while also fitting the anatomical features of those who use it. Providing female servicemembers with specialized equipment has long been a standard in the leading armies of the world, and we are consistently implementing it in Ukraine.”
Progress in Women’s Body Armor
In a statement to BodyArmorNews, DOT confirmed that the volume of future procurements will be determined based on the military’s stated requirements. The Agency is expected to receive the procurement requirements for the next planning period by the end of October 2026, with deliveries under those requirements planned for 2027. However, DOT stated that these timelines are preliminary and may be subject to change.
Ukraine is one of several countries making progress in providing female service members with safe, well-fitting ballistic armor. The Women’s Body Armor Quadrilateral Pilot Project was launched in 2023, testing properly fitting body armor for women peacekeepers. Canada is planning to implement its first body armor system with darting plates around the chest in 2026.
