Every weekend, the Pochaina neighborhood of the Ukrainian capital hosts a fascinating flea market. It has survived despite the war, which has blocked tourism and displaced thousands of citizens. Visitors can find almost anything, from flippers to a bust of Stalin
A vendor offers his wares on the hood of a Lada car, a relic of the USSR years and a vehicle still commonly seen in Ukraine both near and far from the front lines.Luis De Vega HernándezThe perfectly aligned knives of this stand seem to play with the passage of time as marked by the accompanying clock.Luis De Vega HernándezHistory survives in this flea market in the form of discarded objects from inns and the walls of houses, such as busts of Stalin and Lenin.Luis De Vega Hernández
A large section of the Pochaina market is dedicated to the sale of used books.Luis De Vega HernándezThe range of objects on sale is just as wide and difficult to classify as their vendors.Luis De Vega HernándezKeychains, pins, brooches, costume jewelry, old Soviet decorations... there is plenty to keep visitors entertained.Luis De Vega Hernández
Numerous dolls, of all types and sizes, fix their faces on prospective buyers as if imploring them to take them.Luis De Vega HernándezFlippers, a scuba mask, bicycles, suitcases without travelers, televisions... Anything goes at the flea market.Luis De Vega HernándezThere are many toys that look like they have just been dumped from a move or abandoned by a family during spring cleaning.Luis De Vega HernándezMany of the stalls are dedicated to military effects, outdated clothing or footwear that brings to mind the 'Chernobyl' series.Luis De Vega HernándezWar is no stranger to this stand at Pochaina flea market, which is selling a set of traditional matryoshkas representing, in this order, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.Luis De Vega HernándezHaberdashery items also have their place, like these colorful bundles of sewing thread.Luis De Vega HernándezThe specialization of some of the stands, such as this one selling dozens of surgical scissors, is striking.Luis De Vega HernándezMakeshift tool boxes put to the test by the passage of time.Luis De Vega HernándezThe market does not attract many visitors.Luis De Vega HernándezSome stalls carefully displaying Soviet-made cameras, many of which are copies of Germany's legendary Leica. Others have cameras end up thrown away in cardboard boxes like this one.Luis De Vega HernándezPushed back against a corner, visible but not featured, two Hitler portraits sit in a stall. Luis De Vega HernándezSome vendors sell their wares in cargo containers and spend Sunday waiting for buyers.Luis De Vega HernándezSome of the stalls are filled with collections of toy cars that look just old rather than vintage.Luis De Vega HernándezThese orphaned camera cases are a good representation of the wide range of trinkets that visitors can find at the Pochaina flea market.Luis De Vega HernándezBooks on sale in the sun. Behind the fence is the railroad. The sound of trains is part of the soundtrack of the Pochaina flea market.Luis De Vega HernándezThere are objects that take on a second life, like this item which is used to display necklaces.Luis De Vega HernándezTwo men kill time playing chess while waiting for customers.Luis De Vega Hernández
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