It appears to be in London, but they are on the Ukrainian front of the war and in some of the hardesthit cities like Kyiv, Karhiv and Mykolayiv: dozens of SUV, family cars, minivans with English number plates and righthand drive. What is suddenly happening in these Ukrainian centers and with these means against the Russians? The answer is simple to say: British cars are in little demand in the international market (due to the steering wheel on the right) and have much lower prices than European ones.
Who is behind the purchases?
Zelensky, who has gone from comedian to leader of a country defending itself tooth and nail against the Russian army, is behind the purchase of these dozens of vehicles for the Ukrainian army, according to Zelensky Serhiy Prytula, a 40yearold Ukrainian comedian and actor who raises funds to help his people. The fund receives around £7million a month, which is used to buy all kinds of new military equipment to supply to the army: from bulletproof vests to thermal telescopes, from binoculars to drones to medical kits and electric generators. As Il Messaggero recalls, Serhiy Prytula is also a TV presenter who became famous with a show “Faina Yukraina (“Beautiful Ukraine), which was very popular in Ukraine.
“Why these vehicles are interesting”
The idea of buying used British cars came up right when the company was founded. “British cars are attractively priced, around half the price of their brands equivalents on continental Europe, as cars on the right are not in high demand internationally,” Prytula said during an interview at her Kiev office, which serves as a collection and distribution point for donations. Once acquired, the cars cross the Channel to reach Ukraine within 56 days to reach and transport by special trucks. At this point distribution to the army begins. Twenty British cars have already been dispatched to date, with the same number on the verge of purchase, but the aim is to exceed at least 60 vehicles.
What does it cost
The lack of suitable means for the movement of Zelenskyi’s army on the territory posed a major problem, especially in the initial stages of the conflict: in fact, by the end of February, the demand for Ukrainian units was three times higher than the supply possibilities. Cars, minivans and SUVs were nowhere to be found. Now the purchases are “primarily pickups and vehicles” that are bought at a price price of 4 or 5 thousand pounds each. Furthermore, Prytula reports, “many Ukrainian soldiers know how to drive such cars with the righthand wheel because British cars were already in use even when Russian troops invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014.