' s ▁organizations ▁to ▁form ▁their ▁own ▁quasi - mil it ary ▁units , ▁which ▁appeared ▁in ▁numerous ▁cities ▁around ▁Russia . ▁In ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁satisfy ▁popular ▁demand ▁and ▁to ▁bring ▁these ▁units ▁under ▁its ▁control ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁War ▁expanded ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁women ' s ▁military ▁form ations . ▁A ▁fourth ▁combat ▁batt alion ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁Ek ater in od ar , ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Kub an ▁Women ' s ▁Sho ck ▁Battalion , ▁created ▁from ▁a ▁pre - ex isting ▁grass - ro ots ▁unit . ▁This ▁batt alion ▁suffered ▁from ▁organiz ational ▁and ▁supply ▁issues ▁and ▁never ▁saw ▁combat . ▁ ▁F ate ▁of ▁the ▁women ' s ▁batt al ions ▁These ▁extensions ▁failed ▁to ▁end ▁the ▁imp rom pt u ▁organization ▁of ▁quasi - mil it ary ▁units ▁of ▁women ▁volunte ers , ▁and ▁the ▁government ▁found ▁it ▁impossible ▁to ▁control ▁such ▁form ations ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁uno fficial ▁status . ▁For ▁the ▁official ▁form ations , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁cons ensus ▁among ▁the ▁military ▁administration ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁potential ▁value ▁of ▁female ▁soldiers , ▁and ▁this , ▁couple d ▁with ▁the ▁severe ▁short ages ▁from ▁which ▁the ▁nation ▁was ▁then ▁suffering , ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁army ▁made ▁only ▁a ▁half - heart ed ▁commit ment ▁to ▁the ▁project . ▁Thus , ▁the ▁women ' s ▁units ▁received ▁in ade qu ate ▁attention ▁and ▁assistance ▁from ▁the ▁military ▁administration . ▁Many ▁among ▁the ▁Russian ▁military ▁authorities ▁were ▁waiting ▁to ▁see ▁how ▁the ▁women ▁f ared