Most people reading this think that Ukraine is a Nirvana for the financially challenged where one can live like royalty on the paltry crumbs that Uncle Sam allots his castoffs that are no longer viable in the American workplace. For the most part, this is a delicious little secret that only a few of us lucky ones enjoy. The cost of the basics is undeniably easy on the wallet, and sometimes some real bargains can be found. For example, to prepare for my summer hiatus on the blue ribbon trout streams of Idaho and Montana, I was looking for a new fishing vest. What I saw on the internet at places like Cabela's and Sportman's Warehouse that I liked would set me back about $100. One day I was wandering through the open air market at Privoz and I stumbled on a booth that had the exact vest I was lusting for! And it only cost me $7.50!!
But today I found an anomaly in the pristine persona of the 'Buy it in Ukraine' mindset. I went into a large sporting goods store called St. Vol. This store has been around for a long time, so I know they are making sales and today I wanted to see how the selection of toys for the gun lover compared to the US. You might not think there was much demand for hunting guns in Ukraine, but this store tells a different story. When I went inside I was surprised at the broad selection of guns, accessories and clothing that was available. Then, I started looking closely at price tags and almost had a coronary!!
For example, my benchmark gun is the Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic rifle that fires the .22LR rimfire cartridge. In the US you can buy one for about $275. In Odessa it costs $550. Ammo? In the US you can buy 500 rounds of .22LR ammo for about $50. In Odessa just 50 rounds costs $35!!!! A large bore hunting rifle that retails for about $700 in the US sells for $2000+ here. And a telescopic sight that you can buy for $500 at Cabela's will squeeze your wallet for $2000 in Odessa. But all is not lost...you can buy a well-used AK-47 for about the same price as a new one in the US: $750.
This is just another puzzle-piece of the enigma called Ukraine. All of the published data says Ukraine is a poor country. The most recent economic data states a per capita income of only about $800/mo. But all of the luxury cars on the streets; the luxury apartments; the numerous jewelry shops that sell earrings starting at $1000; and now the high-priced guns tell a different story. How do they do it?
Well, being under the shadow of the Russian Empire for so long, I am pretty sure Ukraine's economy is based on the Russian model. That means there are really two economic systems. In Russia, the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg are one economy, properous and glitzy. There there is the rest of the country that is mired in abject poverty. You will see the same thing here. The 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' in Kiev and Odessa, and just a few miles out of town you see tumble-down hovels with outdoor plumbing.
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