At a training ground on the edge of Kyiv, a group of women run through an obstacle course and fire Kalashnikovs, putting the new uniforms finally designed for them through a stress test. There are more than 42,000 women serving in Ukraine's armed forces but they are only issued with male uniforms. The Arm Women Now social initiative used donations to create and sew several thousand uniforms to fit female soldiers, featuring slim-fit jackets, trousers with adjustable waists and comfortable sports bras, which it gave to soldiers for free. "It seems to me that if a woman has taken up arms and is defending her home, her family, and her country, then she should at least have a comfortable uniform," the groups founder Iryna Nykorak tells AFP, adding that it's an issue of "respect for the dignity of women." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES