▁Sim ult ane ously , ▁they ▁hoped ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁women ▁would ▁shame ▁hes it ant ▁male ▁soldiers ▁into ▁res uming ▁their ▁combat ▁duties . ▁ ▁Fif teen ▁form ations ▁were ▁created ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Russian ▁Women ' s ▁Battalion ▁of ▁Death , ▁a ▁separate ▁unit ▁called ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Pet ro grad ▁Women ' s ▁Battalion ▁formed ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁later ▁in ▁Pet ro grad , ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Moscow ▁Women ' s ▁Battalion ▁of ▁Death ▁created ▁in ▁Moscow , ▁and ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Kub an ▁Women ' s ▁Sho ck ▁Battalion ▁organized ▁in ▁Ek ater in od ar . ▁Four ▁communic ations ▁det ach ments ▁were ▁created ▁in ▁Moscow ▁and ▁Pet ro grad . ▁Seven ▁additional ▁communic ations ▁units ▁were ▁created ▁in ▁K iev ▁and ▁Sar at ov ▁employ ing ▁priv ately ▁organized ▁women ' s ▁units ▁already ▁in ▁those ▁cities . ▁Add itional ▁uns an ction ed ▁batt al ions ▁spr ang ▁up ▁in ▁cities ▁across ▁Russia . ▁ ▁An ▁all - f em ale ▁naval ▁unit ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁O ran ien baum , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Women ' s ▁Naval ▁Det achment , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Naval ▁Infantry ▁Training ▁Det achment . ▁ ▁American ▁rep orter ▁B ess ie ▁Beat ty ▁estimated ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁women ▁serving ▁in ▁these ▁gender - se greg ated ▁units ▁at ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁