Murmansk fishermen send fishing nets to the war zone
The company behind the initiative is keeping its identity secret, saying it fears sanctions.
A fishing company has approached the Murmansk branch of the Popular Front, asking for help delivering used fishing nets to the war zone in Ukraine, known in Russia as the “special military operation” (SVO).
Some local media reported that the initiative came from the senior mate of a fishing vessel. In a video published by the Popular Front, he is identified only as Pavel Andreyevich, with no surname given. Neither the fishing company nor the vessel is named.
Olga Kalinina, a representative of the Popular Front in Murmansk Region, said around 10 tonnes of fishing nets had been handed over to “our people under our patronage”. She said the nets would be used “for the road of life and for camouflage in the special military operation zone”.
The Popular Front’s Telegram channel said that “500–800 metres of netting” had been sent to the combat zone. It added that the nets were intended for servicemen from Olenegorsk, whom the organisation “regularly helps with equipment and medicines”.
As he handed over the nets, Pavel Andreyevich told the soldiers: “The main thing is to win and crush that bastard,” apparently referring to Ukrainian servicemen defending their country.
The video published by the Popular Front carefully conceals any details that could identify the vessel or the fishing company behind the donation. The Barents Observer was also unable to find anyone named Pavel Andreyevich who could be identified as the man in the video.
A search of publicly available sources did, however, turn up another person who closely resembles the man shown in the video and who is connected to the fishing industry. His name is Viktor Molchanov, however, so we cannot establish that he is the person featured in the footage.
The Popular Front refused to provide contact details for Pavel Andreyevich or the company he works for, explaining that “they are afraid that sanctions could be imposed against them”.
This suggests that more fishing companies in Murmansk may begin providing discreet support to the Russian armed forces. On 11 August, the Murmansk branch of the Russian Community published a post about preparations to send “humanitarian aid in the form of trawl nets provided by fishing companies” to the front.
As with the Popular Front’s video, the post did not identify the companies supporting the Russian military.
Earlier, authorities in Surgut called on residents to remove metal roadside fences and donate the proceeds from selling the scrap metal to the war effort.
