Putin’s ‘angels of death’: Female military pilots who graduated amid Ukraine invasion join Russian air force
- The group were seen at a weekend passing out parade near the Ukraine border
- The newly mobilised women are trained in using specialised war planes
- Sergei Shoigu said the female pilots were ‘gloriously’ continuing a tradition
Vladimir Putin has unleashed his ‘angels of deaths’ – newly graduated women military pilots now in the Russian air force.
The pilots were seen at a weekend passing out parade in Krasnodar after they had qualified from Serov Higher Military Aviation School.
The newly mobilised women are trained in using strategic nuclear bomber and transport planes.
Putin’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu said the female pilots were ‘gloriously’ continuing a tradition.
He said: ‘You are a reference point and an example for those girls who will follow you.’
The leader’s ‘angels of death’ were seen at a weekend passing out parade in Krasnodar after they had qualified from Serov Higher Military Aviation School
The newly mobilised women are trained in using strategic nuclear bomber and transport planes
Putin’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu said the female pilots were ‘gloriously’ continuing a tradition (Pictured: a graduation ceremony)
Joseph Stalin allowed women to fly and fight throughout the Second World War – with 23 becoming Heroes of the USSR
‘All these girls will soon get married and go to ‘serve’ on maternity leave,’ stormed one critic.
Joseph Stalin allowed women to fly and fight throughout the Second World War – with 23 becoming Heroes of the USSR.
This year Mr Shoigu selected one female applicant Anna Shcherbakova, from Perm, who had initially been refused.
She was among 400 pilots, 16 of them female, to graduate.
The first women air force pilots to qualify since the Second World War were seen throwing petals and coins in the air in their passing out parade.
In 2017 when they rebottled for their five year course Colonel Oleg Pchela told the female applicants: ‘Girls are usually very romantic.
‘They have good motivation that will allow them to learn how to fly our military airplanes and to perform the tasks of their commanders.
‘It is a highly responsible job to become a military pilot. It is a hard occupation, it demands high moral values too.’