The Witches of Bucha: Ukraine’s Civilian Women Fighting Back

‍Dedicating this updated blog to my best friends in Tokyo, Kan and Erika. This oldie but goodie was their favorite of all my blogs. They faithfully have kept all of them- over 100 or so?  They always giggle upon hearing stories of my museum antics.  I will never reveal my secrets.   Love and miss you both!

Tanya, you have been in my thoughts.  Sending positive thoughts to you and your family in Kyiv. I still plan on going in Fall 2027. Take care, my friend.  

Finally shout out to two new readers- Joseph and Stephanie.  Thank you. I appreciate your support!

Updated 7/12/2026 — most recent update added at the bottom.

6/19/25

Ukraine

The Witches of Bucha: Ukraine’s Civilian Women Fighting Back

“It’s scary, yes. But so’s giving birth.” — member of the Witches of Bucha

Now folks, I love to read, research, and spend ridiculous amounts of time happily digging through history. One of my happy places is sitting on dirty floors poring over old newspapers, books, and artifacts in museum basements or old libraries. I once spent an entire weekend in an old museum that was sadly closing. I may or may not have bribed the museum’s officials with coffee and donuts and had pizza delivered just so I could greedily explore the museum archives.

Give me a second as I sigh in happiness thinking of that memory.

Okay, done.

That love of research brings me to something I feel strongly about. When I was younger, I kept reading about male heroes who fought back against their enemies, especially in battle, and I kept wondering: where were the women? I always heard about women in WWII working as nurses or as Rosies, and don’t get me wrong, I find those roles honorable too. But I still wondered: did women fight in battle? I could find a few stories here and there, but not enough, in my humble opinion. Even now, in 2025, more of these stories are finally coming out, but it took a long time. And the more I study women who fought back, the more I sit back, open my eyes in awe, and think: these women were freaking fierce.

Let’s talk a minute about “Lady Death.” Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Soviet sniper from what is now Ukraine. Yes, during this time, the Soviet Union fought with the Allies. She is known as one of the deadliest female snipers in history, with 309 confirmed kills. Pavlichenko was born in 1916 in a large Ukrainian city south of Kyiv. She wanted to be a teacher and loved history. At age 14, she enrolled in a sharp-shooter school and received her certificate. When Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, she enlisted. The Soviet army wanted her to be a nurse, but she was determined to help in another way. She was accepted into the Red Army’s 25th Rifle Division as a sniper.

She fought on the front lines and, with her kills, rose up the ranks. After one close call, the Soviet Union determined she was too valuable and sent her to the United States on a propaganda tour. Pavlichenko toured the United States and became lifelong friends with Eleanor Roosevelt. The First Lady asked her to keep touring the United States and discuss her experience as a woman in combat. Unfortunately, at first, the American public was not interested in her incredible combat skills but more interested in her “lack of fashion.” Pavlichenko questioned, “Who had time to think of her shiny nose when there is a battle going on?” She found her voice with a powerful speech in Chicago: “Gentlemen, I am 25 years old, and I have killed 309 fascist occupants by now. Don’t you think, gentlemen, that you have been hiding behind my back for too long?” The audience roared and applauded. Sadly, as she aged, she suffered from PTSD and depression. She suffered a stroke and passed away in 1974.

I bring attention to this fierce woman because Ukraine still has women fighting in combat today, and their stories deserve to be told repeatedly so they are not forgotten. They are determined to fight for freedom and for their families. These women are all ages and come from all walks of life. Some are even pregnant while fighting near the front lines. Shocking, right? But let me focus your attention on the Witches of Bucha. I absolutely love them! They are a group of civilian volunteers protecting the outskirts of Kyiv in the town of Bucha. Now you might vaguely remember this town because it appeared in many media outlets in 2022. In case you don’t remember, it was invaded by Russian forces, and its citizens suffered horrible atrocities. Many were raped, tortured, and murdered. Reports from occupied areas also included children being taken to Russia. Many citizens also escaped. The Ukrainian army retook the town of 37,000, and slowly many of its citizens returned to this badly burned and traumatized town. Honestly, it was hard to even write those sentences without my eyes tearing up. Out of that devastation, the Witches of Bucha were formed. Their job is to use WWII-era machine guns to shoot down drones that enter the skies near Kyiv. But get this: even in warfare, these women are determined to look good. These suburban volunteers, with their nails nicely done and hair styled, are fiercely fighting back. They range from young women to women in their 60s. Many have full-time jobs and children to care for when they return home. These lovely ladies are determined and full of purpose. I’m sure they are full of anxiety too, but as call sign "Cherry" says in my opening quote, “It’s scary, yes. But so’s giving birth.”

Most recent update as requested by a reader: I did not find a major new 2026 investigative update on the Witches of Bucha, but recent support and media pages still describe them as active. The latest detailed reporting I found, from 2025, says they have grown into a mostly female air-defense unit of roughly 80 to more than 100 members. By day, many are teachers, doctors, pastry chefs, veterinarians, office workers, real estate workers, and mothers. They rely on community support and donated equipment. By night, they continue to train and stand watch in the forests around Bucha and Kyiv, listening for Russian drones and preparing to shoot those “puppies” down. And yes, these ladies are still determined to look good, with gorgeous manicures, nicely styled hair, and makeup done. I admire their courage and determination, and I ask you, my readers, to keep these fierce warriors in your thoughts.