Maria Berlinska
{{Short description|Ukrainian military volunteer and women's rights advocate}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Maria Berlinska
| native_name = Марія Берлінська
| native_name_lang = uk
| image = Maria Berlinska (2024).jpg
| caption = Berlinska in 2024
| alt = Berlinska in 2024
| birth_date = {{birth date|1988|5|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
| nationality = Ukrainian
| occupation = Military volunteer and women's rights advocate
}}
Mariia Serhiivna Berlinska ({{langx|uk|Марія Сергіївна Берлінська}}; born 1988) is a Jewish military volunteer and women's rights advocate. She was a participant in the Revolution of Dignity in February 2014 and subsequently volunteered for the war in Donbas as an aerial reconnaissance drone operator. Returning from the front, Berlinska founded a free school to train other Ukrainian military volunteers in aerial reconnaissance.
Beginning in 2015, Berlinska partnered with other female volunteer soldiers to champion women's rights and integration into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. She coordinated Invisible Battalion, a series of three reports on Ukrainian military women's recognition, reintegration, and harassment, and produced two films on women veterans in collaboration with women filmmakers, that received international attention. This work is credited for a series of laws gradually granting women equality in the Ukrainian armed forces. She is a co-founder of the Women's Veteran Movement non-governmental organization, a senior advisor for a program to reintegrate veterans into society, and recipient of multiple awards.
Early life
Maria Berlinska was born in 1988,{{cite news |last=Burlakova |first=Valeria |title=Марія Берлінська: "Сектор безпеки має формуватися за принципом професіоналізму, а не за статевими ознаками" |trans-title=Maria Berlinska: "The security sector should be formed on the principle of professionalism, not gender" |url=https://tyzhden.ua/Society/203990 |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=The Ukrainian Week |date=20 November 2017 |language=uk}} and grew up in a village near the city of Kamianets-Podilskyi, {{convert|400|km}} southwest of Kyiv.{{cite news |last=Schulz |first=Daniel |title=Freiwilligeneinsatz im Ukraine-Konflikt: Maria Berlinska zieht in den Krieg |url=https://taz.de/Freiwilligeneinsatz-im-Ukraine-Konflikt/!5345502/ |access-date=8 February 2022 |work=Die Tageszeitung |date=23 October 2016 |language=de}} Translated to English as {{cite news |last=Schulz |first=Daniel |title=Voluntary service in the Ukraine conflict: Maria Berlinska goes off to war |url=https://taz.de/Voluntary-service-in-the-Ukraine-conflict/!5470677 |access-date=8 February 2022 |work=Die Tageszeitung |date=22 January 2018}} Her parents were teachers; her father, Sergiy, taught history and literature, and her mother taught French.{{cite news |last1=Корженко |first1=Світлана |title=Частина нашої еліти – вже у землі, частина – мають інвалідність чи лікуються у госпіталях, решта – на фронті чи у волонтерстві |trans-title=Some of our elite - already in the ground, some - have a disability or are being treated in hospitals, the rest - at the front or volunteering |url=https://gazeta.ua/articles/people-and-things-journal/_castina-nashoyi-eliti-vzhe-u-zemli-chastina-mayut-invalidnist-chi-likuyutsya-u-gospitalyah-reshta-na-fronti-chi-u-volonterstvi/746814 |access-date=8 March 2022 |work=Newspaper in Ukrainian |date=17 January 2017 |language=uk}}
Berlinska graduated from Kamyanets-Podilsky Ivan Ohienko National University, and went for a master's degree in history at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, specializing in Jewish history.
In her spare time, Berlinska played guitar, and co-organized the annual {{ill|Respublica (festival)|lt=Respublica|uk}} music festivals with bands such as Lyapis Trubetskoy and Skryabin, using part of the profits to pay artists to decorate houses in Kamianets-Podilskyi.{{cite news |last1=Gorskaya |first1=Dariya |title=Студентка Киево-Могилянской академии сбежала из магистратуры на фронт |url=https://fakty.ua/189839-masha-berlinskaya-ponachalu-ya-ne-mogla-spat-v-forme-bercah-i-bronezhilete-vskakivala-ot-kazhdogo-vystrela-potom-privykla |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Fakty i Kommentarii |language=ru |date=23 October 2014}} Translated to English as {{cite news |last=Gorskaya |first=Dariya |title=Kyiv Mohyla Academy student quits Master's Program to go to the frontline |url=https://www.kmfoundation.com/2014/8418 |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America|date=25 October 2014}} Berlinska completed her master's in 2015 after a break for the war.{{cite web |title=Марія Берлінська – переможниця Волонтерської премії ЄSOS-2015 |trans-title=Maria Berlinska is a recipient of the ESOS-2015 Volunteer Prize |url=https://kmaalumni.org.ua/mariya-berlinska-peremozhnytsya-volonterskoyi-premiyi-yesos-2015/ |website=Асоціація випускників НаУКМА - Alumni association of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy |access-date=8 March 2022 |language=uk |date=3 December 2015}}
Activism and military service
Berlinska joined the Euromaidan protests on 22 November 2013{{cite web |last1=Чадюк |first1=Марія |title=Марія Берлінська. "Масштабувати свободу для суспільства" |trans-title=Maria Berlinska. "Scaling freedom for society" |url=http://mykma.org/interviews/mariya-berlinska.html |website=Моя Могилянка |access-date=4 March 2022 |language=uk |date=8 October 2018}} and stayed through the Ukrainian Revolution of 2014. She compiled a database of the injured in hospitals, built barricades, delivered water and self-defence leaflets.{{cite news|last=Boersma|first=Maxine|title=The female frontline in Ukraine's war|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/ukraine-donbass-war-women-military-female-volunteers-36228|work=i|date=15 December 2016|access-date=4 March 2022}} When she met with gender discrimination from male protesters, she gave speeches on women's rights.{{cite web |last1=Khromeychuk |first1=Olesya |title=On the edge of a European war, who gets to defend the state? |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/who-gets-defend-state-ukraine/ |website=openDemocracy |access-date=4 March 2022 |language=en |date=14 October 2020}} Her leg was injured during the protests, and years later she used a walking stick. She was also wounded with rubber bullets and hospitalized for bilateral otitis, sinusitis, and bronchitis due to the cold weather.
= Military volunteer =
File:Мария Берлинская на 9 канале.jpg
In mid-2014, Berlinska sought to become involved in the war in Donbas. She joined the Ukrainian Army's volunteer Aidar Battalion after being turned away by other volunteer units on the basis of gender. With the aid of material on the internet,{{clarify|date=April 2022}} she trained in Kyiv as a pilot of aerial reconnaissance drones. On 1 September, Berlinska left the academy and arrived in Shchastia, at the front, the next day. Her military call sign was "Marie Curie".{{cite news |last1=Павленко |first1=Наталія |title="Повернули тіла 45 наших. Привезли їх у мішках, хлопці розвантажували лопатами" |trans-title=They returned the bodies of 45 of us. They were brought in bags, and unloaded with shovels |url=https://gazeta.ua/articles/people-newspaper/_povernuli-tila-45-nashih-privezli-yih-u-mishkah-hlopci-rozvantazhuvali-lopatami/583554 |access-date=8 March 2022 |work=Newspaper in Ukrainian |date=29 September 2014 |language=uk}} Also available as {{cite web |title=Марія Берлінська: Війна війною, а юдаїка за розкладом |trans-title=Maria Berlinska: War is war, but Judaism is on schedule |url=https://vaadua.org/news/mariya-berlinska-viyna-viynoyu-yudayika-za-rozkladom |website=Асоціація єврейських організацій та общин України (Ваад) |access-date=8 March 2022 |language=uk |date=24 October 2014}} Berlinska's father also volunteered for the war in Donbas in 2016, but was initially turned down due to his age, 58, until Berlinska intervened on his behalf.{{cite news |last1=Кутєпов |first1=Богдан |title=ДРУЖИНА: 5 випадкових історій жінок в армії |trans-title=WIFE: 5 random stories of women in the army |url=https://hromadske.ua/posts/druzhina-zhinki-v-armii |access-date=8 March 2022 |work=Hromadske television |date=12 January 2017 |language=uk}} He served as a captain in the 24th Mechanized Brigade, and deputy brigade commander for psychological support.{{cite web |title=Семінар з орієнтації на службу в Збройних Силах України |url=http://sed.te.gov.ua/berezhanska/ua/publication/content/53629.htm |website=Бережанська районна державна адміністрація - Berezhany Raion state administration |access-date=8 March 2022 |language=uk |date=30 November 2018}}
In January 2015, Berlinska founded the Ukrainian Centre for Aerial Reconnaissance ({{langx|uk|Центр підтримки аеророзвідки}}).{{cite web|title=Who We Are|url=http://aerorozvidka.com.ua/en/who-we-are/|publisher=Centre for Aerial Reconnaissance|access-date=6 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913073711/http://aerorozvidka.com.ua/en/who-we-are/|archive-date=13 September 2017}}
This is a free training centre for Ukrainian volunteers, based at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy,{{cite news |last1=Shtekel |first=Mykhailo |title=Якщо контракт не підпишуть, піду на війну "туристом" – "Алефтiн" |trans-title=If the contract is not signed, I will go to war as a "tourist" - "Aleftin" |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/27308387.html |access-date=5 March 2022 |work=Радіо Свобода / Radio Liberty |date=15 October 2015 |language=uk}}{{cite news |last1=Romanyshyn |first1=Yuliana |title=Mariya Berlinska: Volunteer helps military with drones, creating film about women in army |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/tiger-conference/ukraines-top-30-under-30/mariya-berlinska-volunteer-helps-military-drones-creating-film-women-army.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=KyivPost |date=1 December 2017}} and run by volunteer civilian instructors, teaching soldiers how to operate drones,{{cite news |last=Makarenko |first=Olena |title=Volunteers are creating a drone revolution for Ukraine's army |url=https://euromaidanpress.com/2016/11/30/volunteers-air-recconnaisance-donbas-ukraine/ |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Euromaidan Press |date=30 November 2016}}{{cite news |title=Woman in war. The story of Maria Berlinska, a volunteer in the Ukrainian Army |url=https://en.hromadske.ua/posts/woman_at_war_story_2 |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Hromadske |date=12 January 2017}} Also available as {{cite web |title=Women at War: Maria Berlinska, a civil volunteer of Ukrainian Army |url=https://www.kmfoundation.com/2017/9163 |website=Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America |access-date=4 March 2022 |date=10 February 2017}} topography, and meteorology in a three to four-week course with donated drones. One of the volunteer teachers, an art director for a television channel, had originally taught Berlinska. By November 2016, the school had trained about 150 soldiers. One of the trainees was Yulia Tolopa, a female Russian volunteer, who assisted Berlinska with drone reconnaissance at the front in mid-2016. An article in The Atlantic called Berlinska "the mother of drones".{{cite web |last1=Robert F. Worth |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/12/ukraine-russia-war-trump-election/681035/ |title=Ukraine’s Hardest Winter |website=www.theatlantic.com |publisher=The Atlantic |access-date=3 January 2025}}
Berlinska unsuccessfully went to court in November 2017 to prove her participation in hostilities as a volunteer to obtain moral satisfaction and to serve as an example. The court ruled that she had proven her case, but then the Ministry of Defense appealed and won, since, despite witnesses and photo and video evidence, there were no written orders. However, after this loss, Berlinska was contacted by Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, who asked for a meeting.{{cite news |last1=Славінська |first1=Ірина |title=Чи можуть добровольці довести, що дійсно були на фронті? |trans-title=Can volunteers prove that they were really at the front?|url=https://hromadske.radio/podcasts/kyiv-donbas/chy-mozhut-dobrovolci-dovesty-shcho-diysno-buly-na-fronti |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=Громадське радіо / Hromadske radio |date=29 November 2017 |language=uk}} After this meeting the Ministry announced plans to increase its own funding for drones and to found its own aerial reconnaissance school in 2018.{{cite news |title=У Міноборони анонсували збільшення фінансування аеророзвідки |url=https://tyzhden.ua/News/204936 |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=The Ukrainian Week |date=30 November 2017}}
=Invisible Battalion series=
{{main|Invisible Battalion}}
In 2015, Berlinska became the project coordinator for Invisible Battalion ({{langx|uk|Невидимий батальйон}}), a report examining the participation of women in the Ukrainian armed forces. The title referred to the unknown role of women fighting for Ukraine in the war in Donbas. The report, by Tamara Martsenyuk, Anna Hrytsenko, and Anna Kvit, was presented in Kyiv in December 2015,{{cite news|last=Oliinyk|first=Evgenia|title=Від "Жіночої сотні" до "Невидимого батальйону": як воюють українки|url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/27407511.html|work=Radio Liberty|date=4 December 2015|language=uk|access-date=4 March 2022}} Translated as {{cite news|last=Chraibi|first=Christine|title=Ukrainian women at war: from Women's Sotnya to Invisible Battalion|url=https://euromaidanpress.com/2015/12/10/ukrainian-women-war-womens-sotnya-invisible-battalion/|work=Euromaidan Press|date=10 December 2015|access-date=4 March 2022}} and was published in English and Ukrainian by UN Women{{cite web|title=Invisible Battalion: Women's Participation in ATO Military Operations in Ukraine|url=https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2016/08/invisible-battalion-womens-participation-in-ato-military-operations-in-ukraine|publisher=UN Women|access-date=9 March 2022}} and the Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal in 2016.{{cite journal |last1=Martsenyuk |first1=Tamara |last2=Grytsenko |first2=Ganna |last3=Kvit |first3=Anna |title=The "Invisible Battalion": Women in ATO Military Operations in Ukraine |journal=Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal |date=27 December 2016|volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=171–187 |doi=10.18523/kmlpj88192.2016-2.171-187 |url=http://kmlpj.ukma.edu.ua/article/view/88192 |access-date=10 March 2022 |language=en|doi-access=free }}
The report found that female soldiers were forbidden by law from holding military commands, did not have basic needs met, and, despite some women being in combat roles, were all categorized as support personnel.{{cite web|title=Women in Ukraine's military face barriers and abuse, study says|url=https://eca.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2015/12/ukraine--invisible-batallion|website=UN Women|date=14 December 2015|access-date=4 March 2022}} As a result, female soldiers did not receive the same salaries, legal protections, compensation for injuries, post-combat trauma care, and opportunities for career advancement in the military as male personnel.{{cite news|last=Grytsenko|first=Ganna|title="Invisible battalion": how Ukrainian women secured the right to fight on a par with men|url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/invisible-battalion-ukraine/|work=openDemocracy|date=20 February 2018|access-date=8 March 2022}} Largely because of the report, the Ministry of Defence issued Decree 337, allowing women to officially serve as snipers, intelligence officers, and commanders of military hardware,{{cite news |last1=Makarenko |first1=Olena |last2=Shandra| first2=Alya |title=Ukrainian women receive right to serve in combat positions |url=https://euromaidanpress.com/2016/06/26/ukrainian-women-receive-right-to-serve-in-combat-positions/ |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=Euromaidan Press |date=26 June 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Garmasch |first1=Katja |title=Women soldiers in Ukraine |url=https://www.eurozine.com/women-soldiers-in-ukraine/ |access-date=16 February 2022 |work=Eurozine |date=22 August 2016}} and in 2017 opened up 62 combat positions to women.
File:Andriana Susak-Arekhta 2.jpg , co-founder of the Women's Veteran Movement, in 2021]]
In 2017, Berlinska organized and produced a documentary film also titled Invisible Battalion, profiling six female soldiers who served in the war in Donbass without being recognized for it: Yuliia Paievska, a paramedic; Yulia Matvienko, called "Belka", a sniper, officially listed as a medical assistant; Olena Bilozerska, another sniper, never officially enlisted; Oksana Yakubova, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); Andriana Susak, who fought to retake Schastia while wearing a balaclava to hide her gender, and was officially listed as a seamstress;{{cite news |last1=Luxmoore |first1=Matthew |title=If War With Russia Comes, Ukrainian Women Will Be on the Front Lines |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-war-with-russia-comes-ukrainian-women-will-be-on-the-front-lines-11645113866 |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=17 February 2022}} and Daria Zubenko, paramedic.{{cite news|title=Invisible battalion: film about war in Donbas through Ukrainian women's eyes |url=https://uacrisis.org/en/57284-nevidimij-bataljon |work=Ukraine Crisis Media Centre |date=9 June 2017 |access-date=11 March 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Olmstead |first1=Molly |title=How Women Forced Ukraine to Welcome Them Into the Military |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/03/ukraine-women-russia-putin-military.html |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=Slate |date=3 March 2022 |language=en}} It was 89 minutes long, in Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles.{{cite news |last1=Krushelnycky |first1=Askold |title='Invisible Battalion' documentary puts Ukraine's women soldiers in spotlight |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/invisible-battalion-documentary-puts-ukraines-women-soldiers-in-spotlight.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=KyivPost |date=20 November 2018}} Berlinska did not have any film production training, so again she learned from the Internet. The executive producer was Oksana Ivantsiv,{{cite web |last1=Чадюк |first1=Марія |title=Оксана Іванців. "Остудимо голови, запалимо серця" |trans-title=Oksana Ivantsiv. "We cool our heads, but fire our hearts" |url=https://mykma.org/interviews/oksana-ivantsiv-ostudymo-golovy-zapalymo-sertsya.html |website=Моя Могилянка |access-date=4 March 2022 |language=uk |date=19 February 2018}} and it was directed by Iryna Tsilyk, Svitlana Lischynska and Alina Gorlova. Each of the directors directed two of the soldiers' stories. The directors worked unpaid. Lischynska directed the two stories about the snipers, which were filmed at the front.{{cite news |last1=БАХАРЕВА |first1=Таисия |title=Светлана Лищинская: "Снайперши не произносят слово "стрелять". Для них это "отработка по цели" |trans-title=Svetlana Lishinska: 'Snipers don't say "shoot". For them it is "target training" |url=https://fakty.ua/ru/248298-svetlana-licshinskaya-snajpershi-ne-proiznosyat-slovo-strelyat-dlya-nih-eto-otrabotka-po-celi |language=ru |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Fakty i Kommentarii |date=19 October 2017}}
File:Maria Berlinska Invisible Battalion interview VOA.jpg about the Invisible Battalion ]]
In 2018, Berlinska produced the sequel documentary No Obvious Signs ({{langx|uk|Явних проявів немає}}; referring to the fact that psychological trauma is not as visible as physical wounds), directed by Gorlova, about Yakubova's struggles with PTSD. This film won the MDR Film Prize for Outstanding Eastern European Documentary at the 2018 Dok Leipzig film festival.{{cite web|last=Petković|first=Vladan|title=Review: No Obvious Signs|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/362995/|work=Cineuropa|date=7 November 2018 |access-date=28 February 2022|archive-date=28 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228081139/https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/362995/|url-status=live}}
In 2018 and again in 2019, Berlinska toured the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom with several of the women from the Invisible Battalion film to screen the film and promote the Invisible Battalion 2.0 study.{{cite news |title="Невидимий батальйон". Інтерв'ю з продюсером фільму |trans-title="Invisible Battalion". Interview with the producer of the film |url=https://www.holosameryky.com/a/4375023.html |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=Voice of America |date=3 May 2018 |language=uk}}{{cite web |title=INVISIBLE BATTALION UK Tour – 7-15 November 2018 – London – Cardiff – Edinburgh – Oxford – Cambridge |url=https://british-ukrainianaid.org/invisible-battalion-uk-tour-7-15-november-2018-london-cardiff-edinburgh-oxford-cambridge/ |website=british-ukrainianaid.org |access-date=10 March 2022}}{{cite news |last=MacKay |first=Michael |title=INVISIBLE BATTALION: THE STORIES OF OUR WOMEN AT WAR |url=https://radiolemberg.com/ua-articles/ua-allarticles/invisible-battalion-the-stories-of-our-women-at-war |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=Radio Lemberg |date=1 May 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Van Metre |first1=Lauren |last2=Steiner |first2=Steven |title=Invisible in an invisible war |url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/invisible-in-an-invisible-war/ |website=Atlantic Council |access-date=10 March 2022 |date=21 October 2019}} This led to a May 2018 confrontation between Berlinska and Susak with Russian diplomat Maxim Buyakevich at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City in which Berlinska asked Buyakevich, "Why are you killing our people?". The Russian Foreign Ministry characterized this interaction as the Ukrainians threatening the diplomat with death.{{cite news |title=Russian diplomat presents "evidence" of Ukraine's lies about UN fake news discussion |url=https://tass.com/politics/1003999 |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=TASS |date=12 May 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Kumka |first1=Antonina |last2=Shandra |first2=Alya |title=Ukrainian female veteran asks Russian diplomat: "Why are you killing our people?" Then this happens |url=https://euromaidanpress.com/2018/05/17/ukrainian-female-veteran-asks-russian-diplomat-why-are-you-killing-our-people-then-this-happens/ |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=Euromaidan Press |date=17 May 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Ворожко |first1=Тетяна |title=Чому ви вбиваєте наших людей? – українські жінки-військові різко поспілкувались з представником Росії в ООН |url=https://www.holosameryky.com/a/un-ukraine-propaganda-/4388043.html |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=Voice of America |date=10 May 2018 |language=uk}}
In November 2019, Berlinska and two of the authors of the first Invisible Battalion study published Invisible Battalion 2.0: Women Veterans Returning to Peaceful Life, a follow-up study on how female veterans used Ukraine Government services to reintegrate to civilian status.{{cite web |title=Invisible Battalion 2.0: Women Veterans Returning to Peaceful Life |url=https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/11/invisible-battalion |website=UN Women – Europe and Central Asia |access-date=10 March 2022 |language=en |date=November 2019}}{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://invisiblebattalion.org/en/about-2/ |website=Invisible Battalion |access-date=10 March 2022}}{{cite news|last=Vlasova|first=Anastasia|title=Women protest army restrictions on holding leading positions|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/multimedia/photo/women-protest-the-restrictions-to-hold-leading-positions-in-ukrainian-army-406464 |work=KyivPost|date=22 January 2016|access-date=4 March 2022}}
In August 2020, Berlinska's Institute of Gender Programs, the NGO founded to continue the "Invisible Battalion" project, began the advocacy campaign "Invisible Battalion 3.0: Sexual Harassment In The Military Sphere In Ukraine". It was a multifaceted campaign, beginning with an anonymous survey of male and female veterans, which showed that 70% had witnessed or been the victims of sexual harassment in the military.{{cite web |title=В Україні стартувала кампанія "Невидимий Батальйон 3.0" з дослідження сексуальних домагань у військовій сфері |url=https://50vidsotkiv.org.ua/v-ukrayini-startuvala-kampaniya-nevydymyj-bataljon-3-0-z-doslidzhennya-seksualnyh-domagan-u-vijskovij-sferi/ |trans-title=Invisible Battalion 3.0 Campaign to Study Sexual Harassment in the Military Sphere Launched in Ukraine |website=50vidsotkiv.org.ua |language=uk |date=5 October 2020}}
There was an online course on the Prometheus educational platform titled "Gender equality and combating sexual harassment in the military sphere" ({{langx|uk|Гендерна рівність та протидія сексуальним домаганням у військовій сфері}}). It was developed by the Invisible Battalion authors Martsenyuk, Hrytsenko, and Kvit, and included recorded lectures from veterans including Berlinska and Bilozerska, and journalists including Yanina Sokolova, and {{Ill|Yuriy Butusov|uk|Бутусов Юрій Євгенович}}.{{cite web |title=В Україні створили перший освітній курс протидії сексуальним домаганням |trans-title=An educational course on combating harassment in the military has been set up in Ukraine |url=https://50vidsotkiv.org.ua/v-ukrayini-stvoryly-pershyj-osvitnij-kurs-z-protydiyi-domagannyam-u-vijsku/ |website=50vidsotkiv.org.ua |access-date=12 March 2022 |language=uk |date=11 May 2021}} In November 2021, this course was taken by Police Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Bugaychuk of the {{ill|Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs|uk|Харківський національний університет внутрішніх справ}} (the university associated with the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs).{{cite web |title=Онлайн-курс "Гендерна рівність та протидія сексуальним домаганням у військовій сфері" |url=https://univd.edu.ua/uk/news/11210 |website=univd.edu.ua |publisher={{ill|Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs|uk|Харківський національний університет внутрішніх справ}} |access-date=12 March 2022 |language=uk |date=10 November 2021}}
A chatbot running on the Invisible Battalion web site enabled military personnel to receive information and psychological and legal assistance about sexual harassment completely anonymously.{{cite web |last1=Панчишин |first1=Віталій |title=В Україні запрацював чат-бот для протидії сексуальному насильству у війську |url=https://armyinform.com.ua/2021/12/15/v-ukrayini-zapraczyuvav-chat-bot-dlya-protydiyi-seksualnomu-nasylstvu-u-vijsku/ |website=armyinform.com.ua |publisher=Ministry of Defence of Ukraine |access-date=12 March 2022 |language=uk |date=15 December 2021}}
In June 2021 the campaign authors and a representative of the Armed Forces of Ukraine delivered a final report with an analysis of current legislation on sexual harassment, with recommendations for legislative changes, and a signed memorandum of cooperation from the General Staff of the Armed Forces.{{cite web |last1=Гуцол |first1=Анна |title=Результати по проєкту "Невидимий батальйон 3.0. Сексуальні домагання у військовій сфері в Україні".: Ресурсний центр ГУРТ |trans-title=Results of the project "Invisible Battalion 3.0. Sexual harassment in the military sphere in Ukraine" |language=uk |url=https://gurt.org.ua/news/informator/70221/ |website=gurt.org.ua |access-date=19 March 2022 |ref=1 July 2021}}
= Women's Veteran Movement =
File:Maria Berlinska IREX VOA interview.jpg about IREX support for veteran reintegration in 2021]]
2017 saw the beginning of what would become the {{ill|Women's Veteran Movement|uk|Жіночий ветеранський рух}} ({{langx|uk|Жіночий ветеранський рух}}). At first, these were informal meetings of women veterans in different cities, supported by UN Women and the European Endowment for Democracy.{{cite web |last1=Іванець |first1=Оксана |title=Що таке "Жіночий ветеранський рух" |trans-title=What is the "Women's Veteran Movement"|url=https://armyinform.com.ua/2021/04/28/shho-take-zhinochyj-veteranskyj-ruh/ |website=armyinform.com.ua |publisher=Ministry of Defence of Ukraine |access-date=13 March 2022 |language=uk |date=28 April 2021}} They were inspired by Berlinska's Invisible Battalion project and film.{{cite news |last1=Максименко |first1=Олена |title=Дуже сильні. Як в Україні зароджується жіночий ветеранський рух |trans-title=Very strong. How the women's veteran movement is emerging in Ukraine |url=https://lb.ua/society/2018/12/10/414555_duzhe_silni_yak_ukraini.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Лівий Берег (Left Bank) |language=uk |date=12 December 2018}} It was officially registered as an NGO in October 2019, with the three founders Berlinska, Andriana Susak-Arekhta and Kateryna Pryimak.{{cite web |title=Дівчата-ветеранки: Ми прагнемо виховувати нове покоління та задати вектор змін в Україні, за який боремося на війні |trans-title=Veteran girls: We strive to educate the new generation and set the vector of change in Ukraine that we are fighting for in the war |url=https://www.armyfm.com.ua/d%D1%96vchata-veteranki-mi-pragnemo-vihovuvati-nove-pokol%D1%96nnja-ta-zadati-vektor-zm%D1%96n-v-ukra%D1%97n%D1%96-za-jakij-b/ |website=www.armyfm.com.ua |publisher=АРМІЯ FM - Army Radio |access-date=14 March 2022 |date=25 October 2018}} Also available as {{cite web |title=Дівчата-ветеранки: "ми прагнемо виховувати нове покоління та задати вектор змін в Україні, за який боремося на війні" |trans-title=Veteran girls: "We strive to educate the new generation and set the vector of change in Ukraine that we are fighting for in the war" |url=https://www.mil.gov.ua/diyalnist/genderni-pitannya-u-sferi-bezpeki/divchata-veteranki-mi-pragnemo-vihovuvati-nove-pokolinnya-ta-zadati-vektor-zmin-v-ukraini-za-yakij-boremosya-na-vijni.html |publisher=Ukrainian Ministry of Defence |access-date=14 March 2022 |date=30 October 2018}}{{cite web |title=ГО "ЖВР" — 43319371 — Опендатабот |url=https://opendatabot.ua/c/43319371 |website=opendatabot.ua |access-date=14 March 2022 |language=uk |date=30 October 2019}} In addition to mutual support meetings, the NGO provides psychological rehabilitation for women veterans suffering from PTSD and substance addiction, conducts online training in business, management, and IT courses, helps with gynecological services, and has planted five "Alleys of Memory" in honor of dead women veterans in Kramatorsk, Kyiv, Lviv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr.
In September 2018, the Ukrainian parliament passed law 2523-VIII equalizing the capabilities of men and women in the military; Berlinska was a co-author.{{cite news |title=Парламент урівняв можливості жінок і чоловіків у армії |trans-title=Parliament equalizes the capabilities of women and men in the military |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-rivnist-v-armii/29475095.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=Radio Liberty |date=6 September 2018 |language=uk}}{{cite web |last1=Matviyishyn |first1=Iryna |title=A Two-Front Battle: How Ukrainian Military Women Are Fighting For Equality |url=https://ukraineworld.org/articles/ukraine-explained/how-ukrainian-military-women-are-fighting-equality |website=UkraineWorld |access-date=4 March 2022 |date=10 March 2021}}
In 2021, Berlinska served as a senior technical advisor and program director for the IREX program to reintegrate Ukrainian veterans into civilian society.{{cite news |last1=Соломко |first1=Ірина |title=Як IREX Україна допомагає українським ветеранам з реінтеграцією. Інтерв'ю з Марією Берлінською. Відео |url=https://www.holosameryky.com/a/yak-irex-ukrayina-dopomahaye-ukrayinskym-veteranam-z-reintegratsiyeyu/5825855.html |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=Voice of America |date=23 March 2021 |language=uk}}{{cite web |title=The Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine announces the accreditation of journalists for the IV International Veterans and Volunteer Forum |url=https://mva.gov.ua/en/news/minveteraniv-ogoloshuye-akreditaciyu-zhurnalistiv-na-iv-mizhnarodnij-veteranskij-ta-volonterskij-forum |publisher=Ministry for Veterans Affairs (Ukraine) |access-date=20 March 2022 |language=en |date=18 August 2021}}
By 2021, over 15% of the Ukrainian armed forces were female, over twice the proportion in 2014. However, when in July 2021 the Ministry of Defense released images of women Ukrainian cadets marching in high heels, it met with widespread international criticism, and citing Berlinska; the subsequent photos had the women in combat boots.{{cite news |last1=Peltier |first1=Elian |last2=Varenikova |first2=Maria |title='Why?' Ukrainian Army Faces Criticism for Making Women March in Heels |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/03/world/europe/ukraine-military-heels.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=3 July 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Michael E. |title=Ukraine's military starts walking back plan for women to parade in pumps after backlash |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/05/ukraine-women-soldier-military-heels/ |access-date=19 March 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=5 July 2021}}{{cite news |title=Ukraine plans for high-heel parade spark outrage |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57706617.amp |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=BBC News |date=3 July 2021}}
Honors
In November 2015, Berlinska was awarded the Euromaidan SOS volunteer award. In December 2017, the Kyiv Post gave her its "Top 30 Under 30" award.{{cite news |last1=Istomina |first1=Toma |title=Top 30 Under 30: Kyiv Post awards young Ukrainian leaders - KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/top-30-30-kyiv-post-awards-young-ukrainian-leaders.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=KyivPost |date=5 December 2017}} In July 2019, the Embassy of the United States, Kyiv included her in an exhibit paying tribute to 19 Ukrainian and 29 American outstanding women.{{cite news |author1=Embassy of the United States, Kyiv |author1-link=Embassy of the United States, Kyiv |title=US pays tribute to outstanding Ukrainian and American women |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/business/us-pays-tribute-to-outstanding-ukrainian-and-american-women.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=KyivPost |date=5 July 2019}} In 2020, she was listed among the 100 most influential women of Ukraine according to Focus magazine and the readers of its website.{{cite news |title=#74 Мария Берлинская в рейтинге "Самые влиятельные женщины Украины по версии читателей сайта Фокус" |trans-title=#74 Maria Berlinskaya in the ranking of "The most influential women of Ukraine according to the readers of the Focus website" |url=https://focus.ua/rating/430863-samye-vliyatelnye-zhenshchiny-2020-ukrainy-po-versii-chitateley-sayta-fokus/lidery-i-rulevye/2152/mariya-berlinskaya |date=7 October 2020 |access-date=19 March 2022 |work=ФОКУС |language=ru}}{{cite news |last1=Газубей |first1=Алексей |title=#58 Мария Берлинская в рейтинге "самых влиятельных женщин Украины по версии журнала Фокус" |trans-title=#58 Maria Berlinskaya in the ranking of "the most influential women in Ukraine according to Focus magazine" |url=https://focus.ua/rating/430865-100-samyh-vliyatelnyh-zhenshchin-ukrainy-po-versii-zhurnala-focus-2020/list/2265/mariya-berlinskaya |access-date=4 March 2022 |work=ФОКУС / Focus |date=18 October 2020 |language=ru}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|1=https://invisiblebattalion.org/en/home-2/|name=Invisible Battalion}} official website
- {{Official website|1=https://www.uwvm.org.ua/?page_id=3031&lang=en|name=NGO "Women's Veteran Movement"}} official website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Berlinska, Maria}}
Category:Kamyanets-Podilsky Ivan Ohienko National University alumni
Category:National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy alumni
Category:People from Kamianets-Podilskyi
Category:Ukrainian female military personnel
Category:Ukrainian military personnel of the war in Donbas