In November, a new display debuted at the Chicagoland Combined Veterans Museum, Library & Honor Wall in River Grove, Illinois. It features twenty-two objects from the current war in Ukraine. They are a tangible link to a horrible conflict 5,000 miles away, providing a small glimpse into the reality of modern warfare. Most of the objects come from my personal collection which I share with the public for the first time.
War trophies for sale
Soon after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a strange new phenomenon began. War trophies began to appear for sale online. You could own a piece of the conflict, shipped directly from Ukraine. In the market for a captured Russian uniform? Why not add a patch, helmet, or even body armor. Pieces of exploded rockets and shrapnel could be a conversation piece for your office desk. As time went by more and more objects became available. There was an influx after the Ukraine’s successful Kharkiv Counteroffensive in fall 2022.
One source for war trophies was eBay. Listings flooded the website and as of December 2024, plenty can still be found. Another, but unexpected, place was Facebook. Individual sellers began to advertise their goods on pages. At least one dedicated selling group formed, the “Russo-Ukrainian War Military Items Group”- which is no longer active. In its place is the “Russo-Ukrainian War Militaria Group.”
Selling these objects became a business for many. With their economy upended, Ukrainians found an alternate source of income through ecommerce. Free merchandise littered battlefields and was ripe for the taking. Even so, some sellers resorted to damaging or altering objects in other ways to increase profitability.
A considerable number of these sales do support the Ukrainian war machine in part or in whole. On the beforementioned Facebook group, for example, soldiers sent trophies to a seller in L’viv who in turn listed the items in an auction or buy-it-now format. Once the payment cleared, through PayPal, the funds then went back to the soldier, going towards the purchase of military equipment and other supplies.
And while objects abandoned by the enemy make up the bulk of the market, there is a much darker, and significantly smaller, niche. It is the passports, wallets, photos, and other personnel effects of Russian soldiers killed in action. These sales are often discrete and command a premium.
Curating the war in Ukraine
In late 2022 I personally amassed a small collection of objects from the war in Ukraine. Everything came from the now defunct “Russo-Ukrainian War Military Items Group” on Facebook. At the time, I wanted to help Ukrainian soldiers and in the back of my mind, thought about creating a small exhibit. This idea came into fruition two years later.
Fortunately for me a veteran’s museum I work with had an empty display case. The Chicagoland Combined Veterans Museum, Library & Honor Wall at 8664 W. Grand Avenue, River Grove, was more than happy to display my collection.
From start to finish, the work to curate twenty-two objects took about seventeen hours. Most of the labor went towards writing, formatting, and cutting by hand the 3 x 5-in exhibit labels. They include the name of the object, type of material, a short description and at the bottom, provenance. All except for one, the labels read “From the private collection of Artur Stasiek.” The single exception being a piece of a Russian T-72 tank barrel belonging to the veteran’s museum. I went out of my way to purchase expensive 110 lb cardstock for the printing job!
The second hardest part of the project was to generate text and image panels. Text panels, along with labels, are an important part of any exhibit. These features describe and interpret the objects on display, educating visitors on their historical significance. There is also a science when it comes to preparing texts. How well can a visitor read them? Font size and style are two major factors to consider.
Once ready, I used two companies, OfficeMax and Mpix, to print the panels on 8 x 10-inch foamboard. Mpix does a wonderful job when it comes to printing high quality photos. I’ve used them several times for different projects.
Finally, it came time to put the interpretation and objects together. An artform in itself, I had to make sure the display was aesthetically pleasing while at the same time, best telling the narrative I wanted to convey. I had at my disposal a large case with a divider in the center.
What I settled upon was to showcase captured Russian objects on the left half with Ukrainian materials on the right. The highlights of the display were two uniforms, one each from the respective armies, dressed on half mannequins. I included photos of soldiers wearing similar uniforms as a reference. In addition, I incorporated an array of patches, papers, souvenirs, and even a battle-damaged helmet.
It turned out wonderfully in my opinion. Hopefully more visitors will be drawn to the fantastic veteran’s museum!
Objects telling a story
Russian winter suit, Type VKPO, in digital flora pattern, recovered in 2022. The silver tape wrapped around both arms is a form of combat identification, helping soldiers distinguish friend from foe on the battlefield. Also sewn on is a black and orange ribbon of St. George, a patriotic Russian symbol, which Ukraine banned in 2017. The ribbon is most closely associated with the Soviet Union’s victory over Germany in WWII.
Russian rain boots produced by the company Dynamo. Made out of rubber, they provide no protection to the cold. Many Russian soldiers wore these types of boots at the start of their invasion in February 2022. Stamped on the bottom of the soles in English is “Made in Russia.”
Russian propaganda leaflet produced for Ukrainian populations. It is an example of psychological operations (PSYOPs). Both sides use propaganda to boost the morale of its citizens and soldiers, and to demoralize the enemy. The text reads “Our Cause is Right; Victory Will Be Ours!” Retrieved in the 2022 Kharkiv Counteroffensive.
Ukrainian jacket, a liner from a winter parka, belonging to a sergeant of the 92nd Mechanized Brigade. Torn and peppered with bits of shrapnel, it has seen better days. The yellow tape wrapped around the right arm identifies the soldier as Ukrainian. From the 2022 Kharkiv Counteroffensive.
Ukrainian helmet, which is actually a Polish model wz. 2000. NATO countries regularly send military supplies and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Many individuals also buy goods in military surplus stores in the west and ship them to Ukraine. Penetrated by shrapnel, this helmet was made ineffective, and its liner was removed to be used for another helmet. From the 2022 Kharkiv Counteroffensive.
