Sandra Andersen Eira

Sandra Andersen Eira (born 21 June 1986)[1] is a fisherwoman[2] and Norwegian Sámi politician from Russenes, Porsanger, Finnmark, Norway.[3] As of 2023, she is serving as a medic and an enlistee in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Sandra Andersen Eira
Sandra Andersen Eira in 2017
Member of the Sámi Parliament of Norway for Ávjovárri
Incumbent
In office
2017–2021
Personal details
Born (1986-06-21) June 21, 1986
CitizenshipNorwegian
Nationality Norway
Military career
Allegiance Ukraine
Service/branch Territorial Defense Forces
Years of service2022–present
RankPrivate/Volunteer
Battles/warsRusso-Ukrainian War

From 2017 to 2021, she served as a member of the Sámi Parliament of Norway (Sametinget), elected to the Norwegian Sámi Association from the vjovárri constituency.[4]

Following the end of her term in the Sametinget, she spent a year commuting between the United States and Norway, including expanding her fishing business and being featured in a documentary titled Sea Sisters.[5] During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, she volunteered for the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, joining a mixed-British and American ranger squad;[6] she worked as a medic on the squad. As of December 2022, she was still part of the International Legion fighting for Ukraine; she has been back to Norway [at least] once, for a few days, to attend a plenary session of the Sámi Parliament of Norway.[7]

Eira took part, along with her unit, of the battle of Moschun, near Kyiv, in March 2022[7] and was later deployed to Bakhmut, in Eastern Ukraine, for a brief period.[8]

References
  1. "Sök personer". www.birthday.se. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  2. Nilsen Trygstad, Andreas (5 May 2017). "Skipper Sandra: Folk har mye å lære om holdninger fra sjøfolk". NRK. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  3. Reinhall, Lori Ann (28 August 2021). "A young Sámi woman lives a dream and makes a difference". norwegianamerican.com.
  4. "Sametingsgruppa 2017-2021 – NSR". nsr.n (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  5. Robert Larsen, Dan (10 January 2022). "Skipper Sandra (35) holder til i USA og driver forretninger i Norge". NRK. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  6. Haram, Ola (7 April 2022). "Sandra Andersen Eira kriger i Ukraina". VG. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  7. "Sandra (36): Fremmedkriger i Ukraina og sametingspolitiker". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  8. C, Kyla (2023-01-19). "From the War Zone: A Foreign Fighter in Ukraine and Her Time on the Ground". Strike Source. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
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