Abroad Aid, Local Trade: The Ukraine War’s Equipment Spur
A thousand euros in a single euro coin weighs five and a quarter kilos. Word spread in March 2022 at the Ranger military effects store in Madrid’s Ribera de Curtidores: a priest arrived with a bag containing 1,600 euros gathered by a community, intending to buy defense materials to send to relatives of Ukrainians at the front.
The priest purchased camouflage uniforms, boots, and warm military clothing. The staff struggled to tally the sum and sought help at a nearby Mercadona. There they advised: “Weigh them.” Álex, one of the organization’s directors, then confirmed a build-up that had been developing for days: combat shirts, multi-pocket trousers, durable and quick-drying boots, tactical gloves, ballistic glasses, magazine pouches, knee pads, vests, and bulletproof gear. Before the war, these items were typically bought by the military, police, or AirSoft enthusiasts, but demand surged rapidly.
Today the demand continues so intensely that it strains the supply chain. Boots, subzero sleeping bags, and fleece garments made from recycled fibers have become scarce for the moment.
The flow of shipments to Ukraine persists, with the same shelves in specialized European stores filling up. This aligns with what EL PERIÓDICO reported in Madrid and Barcelona.
Minibuses
The wave began about a year ago, a week after Russian tanks crossed into Ukrainian territory. “At first, a few discreet figures appeared, gradually speaking in hush tones with Russian accents. Some seemed like masons who had lived in Spain for years, whom I always assumed were Romanian,” Álex recalls.
They were Ukrainians, not Russians or Romanians. The first mobilization to counter an advancing invasion from eleven Ukrainian regional points captured soldiers and volunteers who lacked adequate equipment. It was March, and people arriving refugees from the northeast faced winter that lingered and scarce resources. The earliest sold items were cheap outerwear and thermal blankets for around 1.90 euros, gradually expanding to more substantial gear like sub-zero sleeping bags. Prices varied, but the need remained dire.
In this war year, the supply of uniforms, boots, and protective equipment in Ukraine grew considerably, aided by donations from Western governments. One of the Department of Defense’s earliest aid shipments notably included an Air Force Airbus A400M with five thousand kevlar helmets. Yet families continued to send aid a year later because the battlefield still demanded equipment.
Every Thursday and Friday, minibuses depart from multiple points in Madrid, carrying packages sent by relatives to Ukraine. It makes sense, because ordering from Kiev or Lviv via major couriers is not feasible—the country’s courier system cannot access its interiors in that context.
When defense supplies dwindled in Spain and neighboring Western countries, refugee relatives resorted to Amazon and other tele-shopping systems. Items would be picked up in Turkey or Greece and then transported westward in utility vans toward the front lines.
Collect 600 euros
Acquiring a Kevlar helmet is restricted to arsenals and certain limitations, yet it can still be obtained from militaria shops. The need remains urgent for items like bulletproof vests, though advanced ceramic plates remain harder to secure.
A refugee family in Madrid or Barcelona, with a father, a son, or a nephew mobilized by the Ukrainian army, provides essential materials that could be carried into Donbas trenches. A plate-less vest might cost around 145 euros, tactical boots about 190 euros, a Multicam jersey in green and desert tones 109 euros, knee pads 15 euros, elbow pads 11.9 euros, M-Pact gloves 35.95, a magazine pouch 15.50, and ballistic glasses about 79.90. The total can climb quickly, especially when blankets, socks, T-shirts, and sleeping bags — the items that wear out fastest — are added.
There is no shortage of stories about the impact. A veteran Ranger employee notes that the procurement process often excludes thermal blankets and other essentials from simple accounting, highlighting the constant need for restocking urgent items. The impulse to help remains strong, as more refugees along with volunteers seek to bridge the gap between scarce supply and desperate demand.
Boots from a renowned German maker are highly sought after, partly because the company shifted production toward Ukraine. The Zephyr GTX models, for instance, had long wait times during the peak of the conflict. Inside Madrid, stores continue stocking Miltec backpacks, also German, available in camouflage and priced around 50 euros.
Also first aid kits
Soldiers in Ukrainian territorial defense units in forested areas shared photos of supplies sent by refugee relatives in Madrid. A year later, a signed Ukrainian flag hung from the ceiling at one store as a gift. Staff describe hundreds of visitors and a broad community effort to assist — some sending Ifacks, lightweight first aid kits that attach to backpacks.
Almost all material is imported via Madrid, Álava, and Catalan suppliers, with many items originating from China. When the war intensified last year, disrupted supply chains created shortages and forced relatives to coordinate cross-country logistics. A store spokesperson notes that the best assistance is to keep helping without publicizing the operational gaps. The sentiment is clear: people understand the urgency and keep stepping up to help.