A native of the embattled Kharkiv region, Ananda has been on Ukraine’s front lines since Russia unleashed war on Ukraine in February 2022. The petite but tough commander is part of a new generation of Ukrainian women who have proved their mettle in battle and earned the respect of their fellow soldiers with a leadership style characterized by compassion, courage, and care.

Her squad, formed in January 2023, started with just two members and has grown steadily to 16, each addition carefully vetted by Ananda. She has zero tolerance for any kind of heavy substance use and makes that clear to anyone joining the team.

But she promises that she will have her troops’ backs. “It’s a privilege to serve here,” she says. “Our work is complicated and carries a lot of responsibility.”

She also has a contagious sense of humor and a penchant for pranks that help maintain a high degree of good cheer, even in high-stress situations. The camaraderie and deep respect within the unit are palpable.

“We call her Mama 107,” says Splash, one of her soldiers, referencing the number of the battalion that their unit is in. “Gender doesn’t matter,” he says. “What matters is her professionalism.”

In an abandoned building near the tense Avdiivka front line, Ananda, a housewife-turned-combat zone commander, leads a team of Ukrainian soldiers in a high-stakes training exercise. With Russians stationed less than 9 miles away, they test a series of explosives on the eve of a drone attack mission.

“This is not your ordinary training,” explains Ananda, her eyes scanning the equipment laid out before her. “It’s as close to real conditions as possible.”

A native of the embattled Kharkiv region, Ananda has been on Ukraine’s front lines since Russia unleashed war on Ukraine in February 2022. The petite but tough commander, whose code name means “joy,” is part of a new generation of Ukrainian women who have proved their mettle in battle and earned the respect of their fellow soldiers with a leadership style characterized by compassion, courage, and care.

(Ananda, like the other soldiers in this story, requested to be identified using only a code name for privacy and security reasons.)

“We call her Mama 107,” says Splash, one of her soldiers, referencing the number of the battalion that their unit is in. A former currency exchange office worker, Splash joined the unit last summer at the age of 26. “Gender doesn’t matter,” he says. “What matters is her professionalism.”

“We stay vigilant”

Amid Russia’s increased attacks and reinforcements in eastern Ukraine, the work of Ananda’s drone unit is critical. The Ukrainian positions in this area are strategically important, as they block Russian logistic routes and face significant enemy pressure. The capture of Avdiivka earlier this year brought Russia closer to its goal of securing full control of the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Ananda and her team are meticulous in their preparations, checking every piece of equipment multiple times. Explosive manufacturing requires constant adjustment due to disruptions in the supply chain. Similarly, the drones they use are not factory-made, but assembled from various parts, often of Chinese origin, making the quality of completed drones unpredictable.

“These drones are essentially like toys,” Ananda says, keeping a watchful eye on her men. “We have to be pilots, mechanical engineers, and welders. We program them, and we make the ammunition ourselves.”

The do-it-yourself nature of their gear demands constant vigilance. “It’s dangerous work,” she warns, “so everyone must be extremely careful.” Ananda insists that handling explosives take place a safe distance from the rest of the unit, just in case something goes wrong. While accidents have occurred in her team and others, Ananda’s strict safety protocols have thus far prevented any deaths or serious injuries.

“My guys joke they’ll shoot wedding footage after the war,” Ananda laughs. “But for now, they’re repurposing these drones to carry and release grenades.”

The soldiers systematically work from concealed positions to avoid detection by Russian forces, which are constantly searching for the team’s bases. Russians are said to offer $3,000 bounties for the position of Ukrainian drone pilots, and the small civilian population in the area does include some people still nostalgia for the Soviet era.

The unit never dawdles. Its rear base, undiscovered by Russian reconnaissance, serves as a stable but temporary home.

“We only move during the gray time – dawn and dusk – when drones have a harder time spotting us,” says Ananda. “We are always hiding. We haven’t had to move [from the base] for a long time, but we stay vigilant.”

Ananda recounts the tragedy of of another, less cautious unit. “They didn’t put their phones in flight mode, and the Russian drones detected them. It was a devastating loss.”

“She always tells us the right thing”

Her squad, formed in January 2023, started with just two members and has grown steadily to 16, each addition carefully vetted by Ananda. She has zero tolerance for any kind of heavy substance use and makes that clear from the outset to anyone joining the team. But she promises that she will have her troops’ backs, and will ensure that they are fed and supplied to the best of her ability.

“It’s a privilege to serve here,” she says. “The scariest thing is losing this place and having to join the ordinary infantry in the trenches. Our work is complicated and carries a lot of responsibility.”

She also has a contagious sense of humor and a penchant for pranks that help maintain a high degree of good cheer, even in high-stress situations. The camaraderie and deep respect within the unit are palpable.

Pikachu, a former trolley driver from Dnipro with a tattoo of the Pokémon character on his arm, speaks highly of her. “Male commanders are not as organized or able to explain things with compassion. She always tells us the right thing and never raises her voice,” he says with affection.

Mechanic, who joined the unit in June 2023, says he had few preconceptions about having a woman commander. “What surprised me the most was her high level of competence and experience,” he says. “She understands every technical aspect of what we do and is always learning.”

Kyrylo, another dedicated squad member with sharp piloting skills, lauds her support and understanding. “Thanks to her training, our work is more intense but also more effective,” he says. “She cares deeply for us, even prohibiting me from divorcing my wife to maintain stability.”

The acceptance of women in the army, he says, depends largely on the unit. “People might cross more lines than they should, not understand that it is a professional dynamic,” Kyrylo says. He recalls how the unit attempted to integrate another woman into the team, but the exercise backfired tremendously. She quit after three days.

“She watched TikTok too much and thought the army was fun,” says Ananda. “Everyone was really angry.”

“We try to support each other”

Ananda is proud of the team’s unity and professionalism. For her, it is key to keep spirits up with humor and a sense of humanity.

“We try to support each other,” she says. “If someone feels bad, I send them to their family. We have psychologists, but it’s not easy to open up to strangers.”

She has clashed with higher-ranking commanders, often for refusing to accept tasks she sees as illogical risks to the safety and efficiency of her team.

Ananda’s personal life has been deeply affected by the war. Her husband does not share her willingness to fight on the front.

“Our children ask how is it that their mom is serving in the war while their dad refuses to fight. It has split our family,” she admits. Her daughter in Kyiv is training to be a drone pilot, while her son lives with her parents near Kharkiv.

Despite the hardships, Ananda remains determined, unwavering in her commitment to her country and her team. “Every day they come back is a good day.”

Reporting for this story was supported by Oleksandr Naselenko.