The Strange Rise and Fall of Russia’s Crowd-Sourced Defense Industry (warontherocks.com)

• Russian volunteer groups filled critical supply gaps for troops in Ukraine early in the war.
• The crowd-sourced system evolved but faced repression and inefficiency over time.
• The decline signals deeper problems in Russia's defense procurement and war sustainability.

"In 2022, Russian volunteers like KatyaValya organized to supply troops with boots, radios, and essentials as the military failed. Over time, this grassroots support grew into a makeshift defense industry. However, by 2026, the crowd-sourced model is declining due to state crackdowns, corruption, and war fatigue. The article explores how this phenomenon emerged and why it is fading, highlighting the fragile nature of Russian logistics and civilian-military relations."