aiThe deputy commander of the "Karpatska Sich" battalion, a resident of Ternopil, Maria Chashka-Kalyna, defends Ukraine on the front lines. This woman is called the Ukrainian Amazon, the Ternopil Joan of Arc, and the "combatant in a skirt."

aiIn peaceful life, the woman is the mother of three children and the director of the Ternopil school of restaurant business. At the front, she gained undeniable authority in the army, because behind a gentle smile hides a steely character.

aiThe war for  Maria began eight years ago, when her eldest son went to the front as a volunteer. Since then, she volunteered, and later signed a contract with the Armed Forces. The defender studied military affairs, and in a difficult time, when the commander died in battle, she led the unit.

ai"When war comes to your land, it doesn't matter who you are by profession, how old you are, what your gender is. Only one thing matters: what else I can do to win," says the defender.