Heeled shoes underneath and camouflage on top. It is stormy for the decision of Ukraine to parade the soldiers, for the military parade of the Independence Day, with heels instead of army boots. The images of the official exercise, in view of the parade on August 24 that will mark the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union, published on social media by the Ministry of Defense, quickly made the rounds of social media, indignant not only in Ukraine but also abroad. And the vice president of Parliament, Olena Kondratyuk he asked for an investigation into the affair and a public apology from the authorities for having “humiliated” women who “defend Ukraine’s independence with guns in hand”.
The protest also arrived in the Chamber where some deputies brought heels, put them on display among the benches and sarcastically inviting the Minister of Defense, Andriy Taran, to go to the parade wearing a pair of high-heeled shoes. Kondratyuk recalled the role of women in the defense of the country: 13,5000 soldiers fought in the war against the pro-Russian separatists that has been upsetting the Donbass for over seven years. There are even those who thought that the shot was a joke. Like the opposition MP Iryna Gerashchenko, who was convinced it was an ironic photo. “It is difficult to imagine a more idiotic and harmful idea,” said Inna Sovsun, of the Golos party, remarking that Ukrainian soldiers risk their lives just like their male colleagues and “do not deserve to be laughed at”. And a harsh criticism of the ministry’s decision also came from the Veterans Movement, as reported by the Kyiv Post: “Girls serve in the army wearing the same uniform as boys. Why do they have to endure long exercises in heels? ”.
For their part, the soldiers forced to march in heels do not seem enthusiastic about the idea. “It’s slightly harder than army boots, but we’re trying,” said the cadet Ivanna Medvid, according to the information site of the Ministry of Defense, ArmiaInform.
The criticisms may have already moved something. According to the Kyiv Post, MP from the majority ‘Servant of the People’ party, Maryna Bardyna, said she had spoken with Minister Taran, who allegedly assured her that “there will be different shoes during the parade” on 24 August. But at the moment there is still no official decision.
Meanwhile, the same ministry has responded to the criticisms, publishing in its defense some images of other armies, not well identified, with parade uniforms equipped with heels, similar to those that ended up in the center of the storm.
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