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Singaporeans snap up cheap Russian goods as Ukraine war anger ebbs
- A Singaporean diplomat said ‘we trade with every country whether we like them or not’ as discounted items flood city state’s shopping sites
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Published: 11:58am, 29 Jun 2024
Heavily discounted Russian-made goods, from hair products to chocolate, are finding their way onto Singapore’s virtual supermarket shelves even as many countries – and companies – shun doing business with the nation following its invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.
Representatives for Lazada and Shopee did not respond to requests for comment.
Singapore has strongly condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine. But as the war drags into its third year, any outpouring of anger may be ebbing.
“Singaporeans may be against the Russian invasion of Ukraine but they’re not against Russian goods,” Tommy Koh, ambassador-at-large at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sovan Patra, a senior lecturer at Singapore Management University’s School of Social Sciences, agreed that Singaporeans’ pragmatism is likely resulting in a distinction between a moral perspective on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the practical matter of purchasing Russian-origin goods.
Singaporeans aren’t “generally the kind of people who boycott,” he said.
