▁but ▁only ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Russian ▁Women ' s ▁Battalion ▁of ▁Death ▁and ▁the ▁Perm ▁Battalion ▁were ▁deployed ▁to ▁the ▁front . ▁▁ 1 st ▁Russian ▁Women ' s ▁Battalion ▁of ▁Death ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁Maria ▁Bo chk are va , ▁a ▁pe asant ▁woman ▁who ▁had ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Russian ▁army ▁since ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁and ▁had ▁ris en ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁non - comm ission ed ▁officer , ▁pet ition ed ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁female ▁soldiers ▁under ▁her ▁command . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁May , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Pro vis ional ▁Government , ▁Alexander ▁Ker ens ky , ▁author ized ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Russian ▁Women ' s ▁Battalion ▁of ▁Death ▁in ▁Pet ro grad . ▁This ▁first ▁all - f em ale ▁combat ▁unit ▁initially ▁attract ed ▁over ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁en l iste es ▁between ▁the ▁ages ▁of ▁eigh teen ▁and ▁forty , ▁but ▁Bo chk are va ' s ▁strict ▁discipline ▁and ▁ref us al ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁soldiers ' ▁comm itte es ▁soon ▁drove ▁out ▁all ▁but ▁about ▁ 3 0 0 ▁volunte ers . ▁ ▁Cal led ▁into ▁action ▁against ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁during ▁the ▁Ker ens ky ▁Off ensive , ▁they ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 2 5 th ▁Ki ur uk - D arin ski ▁Regiment ▁and ▁occupied ▁a ▁tren ch ▁near ▁Sm org