Ukrainian soldiers switch to inexpensive rubber slippers when away from front lines
Dmytro Zhluktenko of the 413th Unmanned Systems Regiment described changing into M-TAC rubber slippers that cost just over $8 a pair when away from combat positions.
Ukrainian soldiers change into slip-on shoes they call tactical Crocs when they move away from the front lines. Dmytro Zhluktenko, a soldier with the 413th Unmanned Systems Regiment RAID who transitioned from drone operator to drone lessons analyst, described the footwear in a YouTube video and in comments to Business Insider.
Zhluktenko said the shoes are absolutely essential because it is impossible to stay in combat boots all the time.
He wears the M-TAC rubber slippers in rear positions where there are no Russian drones and almost no danger, stating when it is safe I am wearing my Crocs. The shoes cost just over $8 a pair. An anonymous Ukrainian soldier told Business Insider that similar footwear is convenient and popular among younger troops, adding it is quite fashionable.
Oleksii Donchenko, M-TAC chief marketing officer, said the company describes the product as rubber slippers intended for routine use in temporary accommodation, bases, or rear-area environments. M-TAC began making its own products in 2014 and now offers thousands of items developed by its in-house design and engineering teams.
Donchenko stated that M-TAC is the largest and most recognizable military and tactical brand in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pictured wearing M-TAC gear, including a fleece that sold for around $111,000 at a 2022 fundraising auction. M-TAC has no direct government contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Soldiers and civilians buy directly from the company.
Zhluktenko said his own gear is a mix of state-funded equipment, items he bought himself, and crowdfunded supplies. The Ukrainian military allows soldiers to use personal gear.
