As the third year of full-scale war in Ukraine unfolds, a peculiar contradiction is emerging: while the military scrambles daily to secure funding for vehicles to fulfill combat tasks, the streets of Ukrainian cities are increasingly filled with luxury cars such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Rolls-Royce.
This is highlighted in a report by BlackBOX OSINT.
According to "Ukravtoprom," Ukrainians purchased nearly 70,000 new vehicles in 2024, amounting to 125 billion hryvnias – a 14% increase compared to last year. This is despite many Ukrainians struggling to make ends meet and donations for the front being minimal.
Former MP and now military figure Oleg Lyashko expressed his outrage on this matter:
"Do you really understand what is happening in this country? Do you realize that this country is fighting for survival? That this country barely stands against the enemy's onslaught, and every car here at the front is worth its weight in gold, like blood. And you, idiots, are buying new cars?" – he stated in a video address.
A particular case that sparked outrage involved 34-year-old Ruslan Yereshchenko, who registered 14 elite cars under his name, despite having no official business. Among them are an – Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG purchased for $177,500 in September 2024, and a Rolls-Royce Ghost for $400,000. Notably, both vehicles are registered under the same "fancy" license plate.
It appears that Yereshchenko is involved in the illegal resale of luxury cars, as there are no official companies linked to him. This seems to have enabled him to afford a lavish lifestyle while the country fights for its survival.