"Impossible without women"

"It is now impossible to mine coal in Western Donbas without women. There are hardly any qualified specialists willing to work in our conditions. The war has depleted our manpower,” said Andriy Chernetskyi, deputy director of DTEK Pavlohradvuhillya. DTEK is a major Ukrainian energy company with coal mining operations in the region.

Today, a growing number of women are undergoing training to acquire new skills, expanding the list of underground professions available to them. Ukraine's 1971 Labor Code had prohibited women from working harsh, dangerous and underground jobs, citing concerns for their reproductive health. But in March 2022, following the outbreak of the war, lawmakers decided to temporarily lift this restriction.

Yet a significant number of women have always worked in metallurgy and mining enterprises. Women made up about a third of the Pavlohradvuhillya workforce, but most worked on the surface. So it's not surprising that upon entering mine management, Ekonomichna Pravda journalists were accompanied mainly by women.

853 feet underground

Before descending into the mine, everyone must put on specialized workwear: a cotton suit, topped with a tight uniform, boots and a hard hat. The outerwear is made for men, but an in-house tailor is on hand to customize the attire for female employees.

Once properly dressed, we head to the mine cage, the entry point to the underground. While mostly women accompany us to the elevator door, inside the cage, it's exclusively men.

The 260-meter (853-ft.) descent feels like takeoff in an airplane: noisy and ear-popping. This sensation lingers even after crossing the elevator threshold. We are greeted by Olga, the underground shaft operator, who is responsible for transporting workers, cargo and equipment below the surface.

Contrary to popular belief, mines aren't necessarily dark, cramped spaces devoid of fresh air. They are more like subway tunnels, with ample light and ventilation — there is even room for an iconostasis.

Olga has held her position for only six months. Prior to Russia's invasion, she worked at the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant, which has been intermittently shelled by Russian forces since 2014. Ongoing combat in Avdiivka has left the plant in ruins and beyond repair.

The Donbas region has been called the "iron heart" of Ukraine due to its concentration of heavy industry, which employed hundreds of thousands of people. Many were displaced by Russian occupation in 2014 and again in 2022, leaving a surplus of skilled workers who had to seek alternative professions.

A stable job with social benefits

Spanning sometimes hundreds of kilometers, every mine has its own underground transportation system of cable car-like trolleys that are used not only to move goods but also to ferry workers to their designated areas. Anastasia, who has been a driver for nearly a year, operates trolley cars from a compact control room that resembles a parking garage security office. A screen displaying vital information is the primary light source, surrounded by several control panels.

Anastasia, who had worked in mine security, says she was initially apprehensive about working underground but quickly got used to it. She relocated from Luhansk Region to Pavlohrad, where she joined colleagues who had also moved due to Russian aggression and found employment at the mine. "It's hard to find decent work; there's a constant influx of people everywhere," she said.

In conversations, social benefits, such as access to dormitory housing, health insurance and early retirement options, are often mentioned as key motivations.

The mine operates in four shifts, each employing several underground drivers. Yulia is also a driver, but her control station is mobile.

The winch, telephone and control panel are set up in specific areas during mining operations. Once an operation is finished, the equipment is moved to another location, said Julia, who worked in trade in Pavlohrad before opting for the stable job at the mine six months ago. She intends to stay for the foreseeable future.

From outsiders to colleagues 

All employees interviewed by Ekonomichna Pravda spoke positively about their colleagues and team dynamics. That, however, may be influenced by the presence of their immediate supervisors during these conversations.

Conversations with mine management reveal that the integration of women into underground roles required adjustments, including setting up women's changing rooms and showers.

On a personal level, male miners initially struggled to accept female colleagues underground. Women were seen as outsiders who disrupted the traditional male-dominated environment. But trust is crucial in mining, so men and women gradually adapted and improved their interactions.

Female workers noted changes in male behavior, with less cursing and fewer outdated jokes about women underground.

There are limitations on the type of work women are allowed to perform, particularly hard physical tasks. For example, only men operate heavy machinery, such as the mining combine. The idea of women taking on such roles is deemed inconceivable.

"Safer than the shopping center"

Iryna, also an underground machine driver, works near a mining combine. She operates the conveyor that moves the coal and monitors its supply to the conveyor belt.

"We have lost stability: we sometimes work, sometimes we don't work. The salary level has fallen. I have children, and when you have to provide for your family, income plays a very important role," said Iryna, who previously worked as a saleswoman. She says the mine is now safer than in the shopping center.

"I had certain fears, but I met my future manager in the HR department, and he convinced me that women are not given difficult jobs," she said.

Iryna has only been at the mine for a week, before that she was trained for two months. "I am motivated by the fact that I am working to benefit the Armed Forces, that I can help the guys who are fighting to defend our country. Everyone's contribution is very important," she says.

Before starting work, all new employees undergo training: a month of theory and a month of practice. Women have the additional option of a trial descent into the mine to decide whether they are ready to work in such a position. Men start working after the training by default.

Another woman is studying to become the mine manager and will be the first in this mine to hold this position. This is the person who is responsible for the safety conditions of the entire mine. This six-month training is available to people with specialized education.

Climbing the career ladder

Most of the women interviewed told Ekonomichna Pravda that they plan to continue working at the mine. This will be possible after the war unless legislation is returned to Soviet standards, and women are again banned from working underground.

The state should not decide for women where they can work. The women who came to the mine a week, six months or a year ago have invested a lot of time and energy into learning a new profession, improving their skills, establishing teamwork and arranging their lives. Internally displaced women are particularly vulnerable to job loss.

Female workers can move to higher ranks and climb the career ladder. One women said she would not mind doing more difficult tasks. Undoubtedly, that will require additional training and physical endurance.

But if this legislation returns, the efforts of these women will be in vain. And they will be forced to leave Ukraine in search of work.

Moreover, not all men will be able to return to underground work after the war. Labor shortages in heavy industries will be a pressing issue years after its end. Similarly, not all women will want to continue in mining. Mines will have to actively fight for new employees.