In Russian culture, there is a image of a Ukrainian woman waiting for her husband in the war, which romanticizes the situation, starting from songs of the Soviet era, such as 'Katюsha', and finishing with films about the war that depict the suffering of women casualties of war and their endurance.
Women soldiers from past wars with an unending wait are written about in letters and today they make videos and exchange messages on WhatsApp with their serving husbands in Ukraine. Some do this with pride, others with desperation, while many of them express mixed feelings that are difficult to articulate.
Today, local mass media and social media amplify this narrative about women waiting for the return of their loved ones home, calling on women to support their husbands without hesitation, although behind these carefully curated images lies a complex reality.
Three women shared their experiences as wives of servicemen serving in Ukraine for the newspaper 'Moskovskie Vremena', and each of them runs a blog on Instagram, sharing their thoughts and feelings with thousands of subscribers.
They reflect diverse viewpoints of society, which simultaneously celebrates and fights against war, where longing becomes a source of pride and personal experience at the same time. Each of them uniquely feels longing and considers it a duty, much like the service of their husbands.
Speaking about the relationship with war, each of them expresses their feelings and thoughts, trying to understand what it means for a man to go to war, and struggling with the difficulties of trying to support them.
Women soldiers not only strive to articulate their feelings, but also concern themselves with the economic well-being of their families, which are found in an emotional turmoil caused by the war. At this time, as past experiences of waiting do not leave space for calmness, fear, or sadness for women, openly expressing their opposition to the war, loneliness can sometimes be unbearable.
It is worth noting that despite the powerful calls to support their husbands in the war, many soldiers' wives struggle with psychological consequences resulting from the complex situation caused by the war and their longing.