March 23, 2026

Pro-War Babushkas Evicted


Pro-War Babushkas Evicted
An unexpected series of setbacks has halted a Russian volunteer organization’s efforts in support of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Dmitry Steshin via KP Photobank

A Russian volunteer group responsible for sending camouflage nets to the frontlines in support of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has recently faced a major setback: they're facing an eviction notice from their workspace. Surprisingly, the challenge came from Russia’s very own DOSAAF, the Volunteer Society for the Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy.

In March, the group's leader, Tatyana Ermakova, received a letter from DOSAAF stating that the Udmurt volunteers would be evicted from their workshop before their lease expired. Allegedly, the babushkas were in violation of fire safety and sanitary regulations.

These women in Russia's Udmurt Republic started weaving camouflage nets and covers in October 2022, aiding Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The group, called Udmurtia Does Not Abandon Its Own, has been instrumental in supplying materials that bolster Russian aggression, carefully crafting nets that conceal Russian positions.

The group’s leader, 64-year-old Ermakova, makes monthly trips from Izhevsk to Russian-occupied regions of Eastern Ukraine, a nearly 2,500-mile round-trip. She has personally delivered over 1.5 million square feet of nets made by her workshop. Last November, donations from families of Russian soldiers repaired her car after a breakdown, as a way to show gratitude for her war-sustaining efforts. 

Sergei Bogatyrev, chairman of the regional DOSAAF branch, was particularly upset about the production workshop. He commented that “we do not have war in Udmurtia,” referring to the leased space, which looked more like a wartime factory than an office.

 

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