Dealers are selling war trophies to buy weapons for Ukraine
A sometimes gruesome trade helps defenders on the front lines
Strange packages often arrive at Greg’s flat in Zaporizhia, in south-eastern Ukraine. Sometimes they contain military jackets, helmets and backpacks. But armoured plates and fragments of destroyed rockets are also common. These war trophies are sent to him by Ukrainian soldiers on the front line, so he can sell them online. Sometimes the goods are too gory to trade. “I had a helmet with parts of brain attached,” says Greg, who like other dealers did not want his full name used.
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This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “The shrapnel dealers”
Europe May 11th 2024
- Ukraine’s defenders anxiously dig in for a looming Russian assault
- Dealers are selling war trophies to buy weapons for Ukraine
- Protests against a Russian-style law threaten Georgia’s government
- Romania’s hard right looks strong in a year of four elections
- Why Eurovision won’t boot out Israel
- National days offer a study into the inner psyche of Europeans
From the May 11th 2024 edition
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