Women in the Russian and Soviet military

Lyudmila Mikhailovna Pavlichenko, (Russian: Людми́ла Миха́йловна Павличе́нко, Ukrainian: Людмила Михайлівна Павличенко, Lyudmyla Mykhailivna Pavlychenko, (née Belova; 12 July [O.S. 30 May] 1916 – 10 October 1974) was a Soviet sniper in the Red Army during World War II, credited with 309 confirmed kills, making her the most successful female sniper in history. Lyudmila was nicknamed "Lady Death" due to her incredible ability with a sniper rifle. She served in the Red Army during the Siege of Odessa and the Siege of Sevastopol, during the early stages of the Eastern Front in WWII.

Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak (Russian: Лидия Владимировна Литвяк; 18 August 1921, in Moscow – 1 August 1943, in Krasnyi Luch), also known as Lilya, was a fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II. Historians' estimates for her total victories range from five to twelve solo victories and two to four shared kills in her 66 combat sorties. In about two years of operations, she was the first female fighter pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft, the first of two female fighter pilots who have earned the title of fighter ace and the holder of the record for the greatest number of kills by a female fighter pilot. She was shot down near Orel during the Battle of Kursk as she attacked a formation of German aircraft.

Natalya Fyodorovna Kravtsova née Meklin (Russian: Наталья Фёдоровна Меклин; 8 September 1922 – 5 June 2005) was a flight commander in the 46th Taman Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, one of the three women's aviation regiments founded by Marina Raskova after the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The regiment later came to be known as the "Night Witches" by German targets. She was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union in February 1945 for completing 840 sorties, and gained significant publicity.

Roza Georgiyevna Shanina (Russian: Ро́за Гео́ргиевна Ша́нина, 3 April 1924 – 28 January 1945) was a Soviet sniper during World War II who was credited with 59 confirmed kills, including twelve soldiers during the Battle of Vilnius. Shanina volunteered for the military after the death of her brother in 1941 and chose to be a sniper on the front line. Praised for her shooting accuracy, Shanina was capable of precisely hitting enemy personnel and making doublets (two target hits by two rounds fired in quick succession).

Marina Mikhaylovna Raskova (Russian: Мари́на Миха́йловна Раско́ва, née Malinina; 28 March 1912 – 4 January 1943) was the first woman in the Soviet Union to achieve the diploma of professional air navigator. Raskova went from a young woman with aspirations of becoming an opera singer to a military instructor to the Soviet first female navigator. She was the navigator to many record-setting as well as record-breaking flights and the founding and commanding officer of the 587th Bomber Aviation Regiment, which was renamed the 125th M.M. Raskova Borisov Guards Dive Bomber Regiment in her honor. Raskova became one of over 800,000 women in the military service, founding three female air regiments, one of which eventually flew over 30,000 sorties in World War II and produced at least 30 Heroes of the Soviet Union.

Tatyana Nikolayevna Baramzina (Russian: Татья́на Никола́евна Барамзина́; 19 December 1919 – 5 July 1944) was a Soviet sniper and telephone operator in World War II who was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union on 24 March 1945 for her self-sacrifice in attempt to defend wounded Red Army soldiers. An eager volunteer, she chose to be part of a risking early landing operation to block German forces from using a strategic road in Belarus in the early phase of Operation Bagration. After her landing group suffered heavy casualties she had the option of hiding in a rye field to wait for reinforcements, but chose instead to stay behind and defend a dugout of wounded soldiers. Heavily outnumbered, she fought until the last bullet and grenade to defend the dugout before being captured, tortured, and killed by German soldiers.

Mariya Ivanovna Dolina (Ukrainian: Марія Іванівна Доліна, Russian: Мария Ивановна Долина; 18 December 1922 – 3 March 2010) was a Pe-2 pilot and deputy squadron commander in the women's 125th “Marina M. Raskova” Borisov Guards Bomber Regiment. She was active primarily on the 1st Baltic Front during World War II. On 18 August 1945 she was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Yekaterina Vasilyevna Budanova (Russian: Екатерина Васильевна Буданова), nicknamed Katya (Катя), (6 December 1916 – 19 July 1943), was a fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II. With five air victories, along with Lydia Litvyak, she was one of the world's two female fighter aces. She was shot down by either Luftwaffe ace Georg Schwientek of JG 52 or ace Emil Bitsch, of JG 3.

Yekaterina Vasilevna Ryabova (Russian: Екатерина Васильевна Рябова; 14 July 1921 – 12 September 1974) was a Soviet World War II navigator awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on 23 February 1945 for her World War II bombing missions. She attained the rank of senior lieutenant as a member of the 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment, flying 890 night missions in a Polikarpov Po-2.

Aliya Nurmuhametqyzy Moldagulova (Kazakh: Әлия Нұрмұхамедқызы Молдағұлова; Álııa Nurmuhamedqyzy Moldaǵulova; 25 October 1925 – 14 January 1944) was a Soviet female-sniper,gefreiter during World War II. After dying of wounds sustained in battle on 14 January 1944, posthumously awarded the highest distinction of Hero of the Soviet Union for outstanding brave combat actions on the battlefield.