PORTRAIT OF YANA PETROVA
Captain Yana Petrova, officer of Operational Command “East» Communications Department, joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine two and a half years ago. She took an extraordinary path to her current role, leaving her career as a scholar and educator to join the Armed Forces. Scientific research and the comfort of the university office were exchanged for military uniforms. As for many Ukrainians, it was a choice born of necessity and a profound sense of duty to her country.
Yana is also a gender focal point in the Operational Command “East”. Gender focal points are at the heart of ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men in the military. Recognizing the critical importance of such a role, Yana made it her mission to strengthen and expand this network at the Operational Command “East”, where the network of gender focal points has tripled. “This expansion isn’t just about numbers,” Yana explains. “It was about creating a system of effective communication, collaboration, and support that allows these advisors to make a difference. We established communication channels and ensured every unit within the Operational Command had access to this growing network.” For Yana, gender focal points are pivotal to engaging deeply with military unit personnel, ensuring gender equality policies are understood, implemented, and embraced throughout the ranks.
Strengthening the gender focal points network requires connection, trust, and ongoing learning. Perhaps because of experience in education and strategic communications, Yana and her team introduced a new tradition: twice a year, gender focal points from all subordinate units of Operational Command “East” come together for dedicated meetings. They provide a space for exchanging experiences, discussing legal frameworks, and offering much-needed psycho-emotional support.
Yana has also ensured that communication always remains open. A dedicated hotline on gender-related issues is now available on the Operational Command’s official communication channels, providing a direct line for service members to seek guidance and support.
Her work and passion as a gender focal point are deeply personal and shaped by her experiences. Yana spent seven months in a combat unit. “It gave me an unfiltered view of the gaps and barriers that still exist for gender equality and further reinforced my belief in the importance of our actions.” she reflects.
As a scholar and educator who transitioned to the Armed Forces from civilian university life, Yana sees her mission as mentoring, supporting, and motivating other servicewomen. As Yana often mentions, “Openness, transparency, and constant readiness to help one another are the essence of sisterhood.”