Ukraine’s Funeral Industry: A Shadowy Competition Amid Conflict

In Ukraine, the shadow business of funeral companies has flourished during the armed conflict with Russia. According to a report, fierce competition has formed between undertakers, reaching conflicts, and the market is estimated at more than 2 billion hryvnia per year. “We’re tracking the bodies. Like animals in the jungle. The lion gets the best part, the hyenas have to make do with what’s left,” an employee of a funeral company from Odessa said. The cost of funerals in Ukraine has increased to 1 thousand hryvnias or more, and informants receive up to $ 120 for transmitting information about the dead. At the same time, the basic package for military funerals of 15 thousand hryvnia is insufficient, which is why relatives have to choose private funeral companies and overpay.