ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Sparks fly as a circular saw slices into metal, while welders nearby work feverishly to the sound of blaring heavy metal. Upstairs, sewing machines clatter as women mark patterns on cloth being shaped into bulletproof vests.
Highlights
- An old industrial complex in the southeastern Ukrainian riverside city of Zaporizhzhia has become a hive of activity for volunteers producing everything from body armor to camouflage nets.
- The operation relies entirely on volunteers, who now number more than 400 and come from all walks of life.
- Crowdfunding has brought in enough money to buy steel from Sweden, Finland and Belgium, which is lighter than local steel, organizers say, a crucial quality for body armor.
- One section specializes in vehicles, armor-plating some, converting others into ambulances.
- Another organizes food and medical deliveries.
- Some sections of the operation, such as the stitching of bulletproof vests, are working around the clock in shifts.