Women troops marching in heels spark Ukraine outrage

Ukraine is preparing to stage a military parade next month to mark 30 years of independence following the Soviet Union's breakup, and the defence ministry released photographs of fatigue-clad women soldiers marching in mid-heel black pumps.

The choice of footwear sparked a torrent of criticism on social media and in parliament, and led to accusations that women soldiers had been sexualised.

Several Ukrainian lawmakers close to Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko showed up in parliament with pairs of shoes and encouraged the defence minister to wear high heels to the parade.

"It is hard to imagine a more idiotic, harmful idea," said Inna Sovsun, a member of the Golos party, pointing to health risks. She also said that Ukraine's women soldiers -- like men -- were risking their lives and "do not deserve to be mocked".

Ukraine has been battling Russian-backed separatists in the country's industrial east, in a conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people since 2014.