These Soviet watches are helping to fund the Ukrainian military

Produced by the millions in the Soviet planned economy, Raketa watches are enjoying an unexpected second life online. Resold from Ukraine to support its war effort, they tell the story of a surprising historical turnaround.

If you like vintage watches, you may have already come across a Raketa (or Ракета in Cyrillic). On online resale sites, these Russian watches are sold at low prices, ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred Swiss francs.

When browsing platforms like Chrono24 or eBay, one detail eventually stands out: many of these watches are shipped from Ukraine. Sometimes, an unexpected phrase appears in the listing: «A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Ukrainian military.» Some of these items have even been customized with symbols of the resistance. On Etsy, for example