Army Women: Russia, Ukraine, Figures and Pictures

Parades and routines

In 2007, 70 thousand women were serving and working in the Ukrainian army system. Today’s stats are 50,000. Most positions are, of course, “peaceful”. Medical service, liaison, accounting are top 3 vectors. Many women are in technical operation & maintenance, administrative and paperwork, civil connections, translation, supplies, transportation, cynology.

119 girls are studying at military institutions of Ukraine. Under the Soviet Union, civil universities, in addition to professional education, gave basic military training and reserve ranks to the youth of both sexes. Many secondary schools still have defense lessons, both for boys and girls.

Big City Girl: Who’s the Man of her Dreams? Russian jocular classification

So different by styles, habits and characters, so alike by dreaming of love’s bliss… Here’s a gallery of most vivid female types – and their potential husbands. Call it a set of caricatures that street artists have been fudging anyplace and anytime, changing only markers, - but so far as this article is published in urban reading, let its author refrain from remorse.

Virgin Village & Smalltown vs. Babylon City? Russian Brides Background Effect

To a Western man searching Russia / Ukraine for unspoiled virtue, health, high moral values, sound family background, top model beauty, unconditional love, and proper mothering of his children, - hinterland is the last area to seek a wife. Post-Soviet specifics of economy and mentality contradict American-based reasoning on the percentage of “sound” or “flawed” women in small communities, of “deserving” or “evil” girls who relocate upscale, and of “fine” or “filthy” city-borns.

A keen observer can discern a range of more specific social types. A psychologist would consider the entire combination of individual factors to make a right match. And it takes a native to detect ancestry & upbringing by manners, speech, style, even by facial features. But let’s now clarify the first-approximation guidelines.

How do major factors of origin affect a Russian or Ukrainian woman’s character? What marriage behavior can a stranger forecast by them?

Here are some trends you need to know. Feels bad to spill - and to conceal.

First mention & counter-arguments

Russian Women’s Professions and Roles Translated: Antipodes to Typical Western Concepts

May not different social realities, giving different meanings to similar words, prevent a viable international relationship or create tensions on the way to one.

“Working girl”, for starters, is “what you’ve thought” only in the Western reading. In Russian, emphasizing work means serious attitude to life (yet not obsession with career - the very word given some negative connotation since the Russian Empire, and much stronger in the Soviet Union).

Swear a Sure Way to Screw a Relationship with a Russian Woman

…barely awarely. Just with routine American vocabulary. I mean vulgarisms. Words stemming from the pelvic area or loo, such fu(n)kin‘ crap not worth a rat’s ass. Ain’t “anatomy discrimination”: the rest of the body is subject to non-verbal control (see the following post).

Oscar Wilde said, “A gentleman is never unintentionally rude”. A Russian joke extends: “A gentleman would always call a cat a cat, even if he’s stumbled against it and fell down.” And one more: “Surprisingly, researches have proven that blondes prefer gentlemen, too.”

47% Russians don’t observe their weight… who and why?

Poll by Pan-Russian Centre of Public Opinion Surveys, 7-8 October 2006, 1592 respondents in 153 locations of 46 regions, statistical error below 3,4%.

High Heels and Fancy Women: Russian Stories with Morals

On beauty, prostitutes, good women, gender roles, consumerism and compensation - through the cultural difference of Former Soviet Union countries

• Story 1

I’ve just watched a TV show “Beauty Factory (Made in Ukraine)”, where they take “visually challenged” women and improve their lives with surgery, stylist crafts, psychology backup. Boyfriends fall on their knees to make proposals, bosses promote, children start listening to the Fairy agape… This time even the show team couldn’t hold tears at the happy end, neither could I…

Big Heart: An exemplar Ukrainian mother, wife, businesswoman, and more! (Part II)

This great small lady is in her mid-40s. A slender brunette, born in a town of 45000 people and educated to be a kindergarten coach (just like her mother). Which turned a starvation job in the surly time of the Soviet Union collapse.

Main problems of traveling to Former Soviet Union: Language Barrier, Service and Safety

The most complained-on problem is “visitor-non-friendly” environment. There IS state-of-the-art “civilization”. And many Russian people DO strive to lend a hand, for the sense of patriotism and dignity. Yet they also see more compatriots of less culture (in terms of language skills, helpfulness regardless of them, order, abuse, and racism) than their foreign counterparts have (the brighter is the well-bred visible minority, highly praised by sophisticated travelers from Europe.)

The rule is: the deeper backwards, the harder (insulation in deterioration, deterioration in insulation). But there are capital exceptions worth a contrary rule! No ounce of justification is given to the woodwork habits of numerous hoards of “centers” dwellers or barbaric newly-rich parvenus moving to capital cities or traveling abroad.

Same is true for Ukraine and other Former Soviet countries, maybe in a way more hospitable and internationally disposed… and less accurately organized.

So, here follow the major bummers. Brought to your attention from a Russian website on tourism (a discussed poll “What irritates foreigners in Russia“) as vaccination against possible cultural shocks.

Let not the surrounding dirt mar the human diamonds you are going to meet, nor upset your plans for a Nice Time on a Comfortable Extreme Tour.

“Playboy” Advice & Fake Orgasms, or Is a Russian Woman a Trustworthy Guide to Russian Ladies

Guys’ eyes are valuable mirrors. But a Russian Girl ™ can bewitch any guy… not another Russian Girl ™. What may let - and make - the latter help, and whom?

Russian People and Materialism: Rich or Poor vs. High or Low

These notes address argument about Money vs. Satisfaction and City vs. Province, inspired with the question, whether Russian women are Worshipped or Depreciated at homeland, and if Western environment and Chivalry can “spoil” them. Original thread here at GL’s. Worth reading.

Russians say, “Not in money happiness is” (well, some jocularly add “but in its amount”), and right they are. Culture is what matters, - in all its meanings, including artistic sources of thought and pleasure, active folklore, patterns and manners of human relations, self-discipline, spiritual ideals and fulfilment,.. goals and values that money’s nothing more than a means for.

Cinderella Code to Russian Women’s Virtues, Expectations, Attitudes and Charms

Pick the role of “Poor Thing’s Prize” or poke into that shallow “Silver Platter To Females”, and you’ll miss a host of differences behind the axiom that

“to Western men, we are all Cinderellas by default; to Russian women, you are all Princes by default.”

It’s high time to anatomize the totem of Russian women.

“Shocking” Stats II: Incomes & Expenses in Russia and Ukraine; So Is There any Middle Class?

Rich, Poor, Who, Where, What For… HOW MUCH?
What attributes define the middle class?
Amounts to earn and spend in capital cities?

Official reports, public polls, press surveys since 2006 to the latest comment.
Dollar amounts rounded, course contemporary to the publication.

Russian and Ukrainian snapshots appear interchangeably.

• 2006 Monthly Employee Income - Russian Federal statistic service

Moscow sampling. For the rest of Russian population, divide into 3.

“Shocking” Statistics on Russian Women - I: Social Situation & Values

This is the overall picture that a local person can observe. A foreigner should keep in mind that “potential international brides” (women he would likely meet or notice) are a specific sampling, with their peculiarities and differences I’m trying to describe.

Happy Husband, Children and Career: How Can a Russian Wife Manage it All

Russian women are famous as resourceful, enduring, energetic and dependable. In the Soviet and early transition economies, they carried their families (and the society) on their shoulders, homemaking AND breadwinning, while most their men lay mazed with Communist limits and market challenges. New opportunities didn’t add accountability to Russian men… to women, they did.

Actually, the youngest generation of Russian (Ukrainian) Brides, entering the marriageable age of 17 next year, would be the Fourth Generation of Children Raised by Working Mothers.

Why, how, with what results and feelings have Russian Women been carrying out double responsibilities, - here are the facts from our social history and breathing stories of the women I immediately know.

Traditional-vs-Feminist Dispute: a Compromise by Russian Woman the Peacemaker )

“No matter what the feminist-wits do, they cannot alter NATURE. And if they try, primary selection will exert its force and suppress and exterminate these aberrations. Feminism is a societal aberration against NATURE.” (kzarz)

To agree with the general message, and dare on details…;)

Paradox Relationships in Paradox Society: Men & Women in Russia or Ukraine

Now you can finally outline and explain the paradoxes of this land, so astonishing to strangers! Watch the symbol of the Orthodox religion, fundamental to the Russian, Ukrainian, Belarus and largely Soviet culture that reaches from private desires to the order of government. A cross is like a reference frame stretched between the extremes, - contrasts at the ends of axes, varieties between, and balance in the intersection.

So whatever you wanted to know… Yes, every tiny peculiarity. Did you notice that the Orthodox Cross has buds on ends that make each branch crossed once more? ;) The posts below would show how major conditions of the region’s geography, economy and history have shaped the daily life of “Russian” people and their way of thinking.

Is There Feminism in Russia (Former Soviet Union)?

In the global village, Former Soviet women have access and exposure to all Western baits, long-banned and currently-imposed. Yet

East + West > Marriage + Relationship > Psychology > Expert Counseling + Personal Secrets

Here he comes, passionate, intelligent and confident. We chat hours away, and then I see his inner boy. His shining armour is like chocolate’s foil to the teeth of some “bunny girl”. He’s about swording down princesses he takes for witches. Starving for human connection, orphaned from feminine care… And once again I turn Aunt AskNatalia.Ru to help one more soul rather than seek for the soul mate for myself. )

Thus began my e-counseling practice in psychology. Many times I felt blessed with friendship to a missioned professional analyst / therapist / coach lady I mention here and there as Dr. Tamara… as well as with my Ukrainian / Russian origin.

These Men have learnt stabbing their male rivals, juggling with big money, playing chess with the world, - yet feel lost at managing their personal lives. Yes, business and relationships are different disciplines, though not as incomparable as we are taught to think. But indeed, how should one operate in the world where definitions have fused?

“Manly” and “womanly” - “Western” and “Eastern” - “traditional” and “modern” - we are just too much alike… even though so different.

Luckily, Russian Women are seasoned soul-divers. ) Moreover, today’s generation of brides has been learning Men largely by foreign examples of. Which means, checking themselves through the eyes of foreign men - prevalently Western European and American.

How could it be?

The “Russian Woman” / “Russians” brand: Geography, Philosophy, Patriotism

Should I parenthesize “Russian” everywhere on this blog? Any Russian-bride-savvy knows this indication concerns several, mostly Eastern European, countries of the Former Soviet Union (FSU): Belarus, Russia, Ukraine (kin Slavonic / Slavic nations), to some extent the Baltic region (West-wise), Georgia and Kazakhstan (East-wise). What stands behind the “brand name” then?