Residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea, in an attempt to obtain scarce petrol whilst circumventing restrictions, transferred money in exchange for fake QR codes. However, the payments did not go to the fuel sellers, but to a fund set up to purchase pick-up trucks for the FPV unit of the 110th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
How Crimeans unexpectedly funded the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Following yet another glitch in the QR code system, offers began to appear online to purchase codes that allegedly allowed people to fill up their tanks outside the established restrictions.
Against the backdrop of a fuel shortage, those willing to do so agreed to transfer money in the hope of gaining access to petrol. In reality, the codes provided were fake and did not entitle the recipient to refuel their car.
How to. reported to UNIAN, the funds that Crimeans transferred in exchange for a non-existent opportunity to purchase petrol were channelled into a fund set up to purchase pick-up trucks for the FPV unit of the 110th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The buyers only found out where the money had actually gone after the transfers had been made.
Why has there been a demand for fake QR codes?
The Russian occupation administration has introduced personal QR codes in Sevastopol due to the acute fuel shortage. Each code allowed the purchase of up to 20 litres of petrol for a specific car, after which the next one could only be obtained seven days later.
The system experienced glitches right from the start. The first batch of codes available was snapped up within an hour, and subsequently some of the codes that had already been issued were deactivated due to a disruption in petrol supplies. Drivers waited for hours at petrol stations, but even having a code did not always guarantee they would be able to fill up.
In June, the occupying authorities were forced to temporarily suspend the free sale of fuel and divert supplies to meet the needs of utility, medical and security services. These restrictions gave rise to a black market in vouchers and codes, which unknown sellers exploited.
The scale of the fundraising has not yet been disclosed
The report does not specify how many people purchased the fake QR codes or the total amount that was raised for the Ukrainian armed forces.
A video has now been posted on social media confirming the amount received, as reported by the 110th Brigade.
History shows the consequences of fuel shortages and the opaque system of fuel distribution on the occupied peninsula. In an attempt to circumvent the restrictions imposed by the occupying authorities, Crimeans found themselves without petrol, but unwittingly helped to provide transport for the Ukrainian military.
