‘Trophies from Brovary’ sold on Russian Avito, an OLX Group project
IIn late March, OLX Group decided to stop all its operations in Russia and spin off its Russian classifieds service, Avito, which would become a separate, independent company. Today, Avito not only maintains its activities in Russia, ignoring the war but is also directly complicit in it — there are ads on the website recruiting contract soldiers for the war. Recently, Avito has also begun to feature ads selling ‘trophies,‘ possessions stolen by Russian occupants in Ukraine. One of such ads has attracted the attention of Denys Sudilkovskyi, the CMO at LUN.
Ukrainian national team’s sweat jacket for sale. Absolutely new, taken as a trophy near Brovary.
Screenshot: Denys Sudilkovskyi
This advertisement is no longer available on Avito, but it still appears in the search engine results.
Avito’s exit from OLX Group: what is wrong with this decision
As AIN.Capital wrote previously, after its separation from OLX Group, Avito would become a standalone independent company managed by its local team and its own board of directors. Moreover, the holding Prosus, which owns OLX Group, would not take part in Avito’s operations, invest in it, or gain any financial benefit from the service.
This means that, instead of closing their business in Russia, the shareholders are making it absolutely uncontrollable, with its own uncontrolled team. So, using the platform, first, ‘employment’ is provided for murderers, rapists, and looters, and then ‘trophies’ are sold.
It should be noted that after their withdrawal from Avito, neither Prosus nor OLX Group has in any way influenced the platform’s internal policy on posting ads that openly encourage and facilitate the war in Ukraine and the killings of Ukrainians. Despite the statements by the companies about the removal of any such advertisements, they still can be found on the platform and keep appearing there.
OLX Ukraine says it does not support the activities of Avito and urges the parent company to withdraw from Russia.
Why this is important
The Russians selling stolen things from Ukrainians is another proof of the mass looting by Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian officials continue to deny the terror that their troops committed against innocent and peaceful people in the occupied territories of Ukraine. This is an unprecedented lie after revealing the photos showing the Bucha Massacre.
Every piece of evidence, like this little episode, can help get justice in international courts in the future. You can support Ukraine by telling the truth about what is happening in your state or donating funds to help Ukrainians protect themselves.