"Eva" works for hidden network - in the basement

Ukraine
Hidden network in Sweden manufactures materiel for Ukraine's defense

Peter Kadhammar

Published 09.53

Quick version

• A network in Sweden uses 3D printers to manufacture critical components that the Ukrainian defense needs.
• The Swedish part of the network, led by an anonymous woman called Eva, is part of the international organization Wild Bees, which is present in 21 countries and manufactures, among other things, dummies, warning flags and plastic parts.
• Wild Bees Sweden sends about 20 boxes of equipment to Ukraine every two weeks, financed by donations. Despite the risks, the network works under high secrecy to support Ukraine's defense and contribute to peace in Europe.

The informal leader of the network is a middle-aged woman who is a trained engineer. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

A hidden network in Sweden supplies Ukraine with parts for drones, quick-loading mechanisms for automatic carbines, mine traps and other equipment. In 2023, the network produced tens of thousands of stabilizing fins for bombs.

About 20 people scattered across the country are part of the network, most of them highly educated engineers, some are self-employed who could afford to retire early. Together, they have 50 3D printers to manufacture plastic parts that the Ukrainian defense needs.

The informal leader of the network is a middle-aged woman, academic, engineer, specialist in business organization.

This is what a resistance movement looks like:

A family sitting and eating dinner in a quiet residential area. In the basement, in the room where the children used to play rock music, eight 3D printers work. The printers work around the clock, buzzing quietly, sometimes a quick whining sound is heard when a printer's arm makes a hasty movement. The room gets warm from the machines that are constantly running, because the need in Ukraine is endless.

Eva makes replicas of Russian mines in her basement. They are used in training for soldiers and civilians. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

When the family has finished eating, the woman will go down to the basement to change the plastic thread for a printer, finish packing a box, converse via encrypted chat with other members of the network.

Like so many others, she was outraged by Russia's attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and raised money for refugees.

At Christmas 2022, she bought a 3D printer as a gift for the family. They made letters, soap cups, protective covers for mobile phones and other things. A toy more than a production tool.

A person she had contact with in refugee aid asked if she could print material for the Ukrainian defense as well.

The woman wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons. I call her Eva in this text.
 

The Swedish network is part of an international one called Wild Bees.  It is present in 21 countries and is an important supplier to Ukraine's defense.

According to Eva, Swedish Wild Bees has, among other things, produced 6,000 mine traps, tens of thousands of red warning flags for mines and – last year – tens of thousands of tail fins for 40 millimeter NATO grenades. Instead of shooting them with automatic cannons as intended, the Ukrainians convert some shells into bombs dropped from drones. The fins are needed to stabilize the bomb.

- We have produced a total of 100,000 objects, says Eva.

She describes Wild Bees as an international group and suggests, as a country manager likes to do, that Sweden is one of the most efficient departments.

- We are like a company. We receive orders and drawings from Ukraine, do tests and test series before full-scale production.

Dummies that resemble Russian mines. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

She takes out a dummy of a mine and demonstrates the upper part which has the same soft plate as the authentic Russian ones.

- When the plate fails, the mine is triggered. It is important that the mine feels and looks exactly like a real one. We buy a green plastic blank from Spain to get the exact green color that Russian mines have. It is important for the training not only of soldiers, but also border guards, civilians and school children.

Eva shows that the pressure that triggers the dummy is exactly the same as on the real Russian mine. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

The dummies are also used by the Ukrainian defense in real minefields. If the defense lays out 100 mines, 20 may be dummies that contribute to delaying the Russian soldiers: the minesweepers have to take care of the dummies too.

Eva holds out a plastic sleeve with two small wings.

- It is called a butterfly mine. The Russians have released a couple of million over Ukraine. They contain liquid TNT and explode when you touch them. We make them brown, green and mustard, the same colors as the Russians. It is important that they are authentic so that children learn not to pick up the little trinket, no matter how tempting it is.

Dummy representing Russian grenade. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

Eva has received informal questions from units at the front if Wild Bees Sweden can manufacture shells for real mines as well, which is not the case.

The Swedish network has developed details of a drop system for dropping bombs from drones.

- We did a test print of a handful. The Ukrainians were satisfied.

Stabilizinge fins were manufactured by the Swedish organization in the past on a large scale, they still make quick loaders for automatic carbines. Eva shows how to insert the cartridges and press a lever so that they are lowered into the magazine.

- The soldiers can reload in the winter without having to take off their gloves and freeze their hands. It goes faster too. If you are three seconds faster than the Russian, it is he who dies, not you.

 

At Christmas 2022, Eva bought a 3D printer as a gift for the family. Now she has eight printers in the basement who produce material for the Ukrainian defense around the clock. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

Eva travels a lot in her work. In this way, she can meet other members of the network at railway stations and cafes.

- A suitcase with plastic wire for the printer is exchanged for a bag with printed items.

The secrecy is necessary, she says. "Even my neighbors don't know what I do."

- We have a solid security check on everyone we recruit. You must be able to cooperate, take criticism and be persistent. You can start by making simpler things. After the test period, we are three members who interview the new person. Much of what we do is highly confidential. A developer in some unit in Ukraine sends a data file. I do not get access to the whole, only the part that I can transfer to my printer. Once I asked how a specific detail would be used. I didn't get a response for security reasons.

Replica of Russian mine. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

Eva adds:

- Wild Bees groups in other countries have been subjected to infiltration attempts. We do not want Russian spies or extremists in our organization.

On the one hand, her account sounds like a romantic story about resistance movements during the Second World War, on the other hand, she speaks like a business manager.

- We are fact-oriented and completely undramatic. As a company. You don't see our members at any demonstrations. We are focused on results, to have a concrete effect in order to contribute to peace in Europe. It is hard work. You have to get up in the middle of the night to change the plastic roll for the printer if a delivery is in a hurry. Everything must be administered, allocated, tested, packed, shipped. We always deliver perfect quality.

 

         

Replicas of Russian mines. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

In the garage next to the room with the printer, she has rolls of plastic wire and moving boxes. Every other week, the Swedish organization sends around 20 boxes of material from its two logistics centers in southern and central Sweden. Each carton weighs 6.7 kilos. A packing list specifies the contents and Eva always includes a 3D-printed plastic figure, "Saint Javelin", a saint holding the American Javelin anti-tank robot in his arms.

Eva says that 65 percent of the production is warning flags and minefields for education.

- We have distributed educational materials to all 24 regions of Ukraine. Previously, they only had posters that looked like Swedish school posters in the 1950s.

35 percent of the production is details for defense equipment, but Eva defends herself against unambiguous words such as weapon parts.

- The stuff we make is just plastic, nothing else. What the Ukrainians do with them is their business. Customs has opened our boxes and is letting them through.

The replicas of Russian mines are used in teaching how to disarm them and how to recognize them. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång

For a year and a half, Eva has been working with Wild Bees while managing a full-time job and having a family. She has never been to Ukraine but lives with the war every day.

- Yesterday I spoke with an expert on close combat in Kramatorsk. Our network did a quick collection and sent SEK 7,500 as a contribution to a night binocular.  

 

Eva has worked with the 110:th Brigade in Donetsk and tells of an occasion when she received a reply to a text message:  

 

"We are currently exposed to a major attack. I will return when I have the opportunity.”  

 

- Then I learned that their entire engineering team was wiped out, both crew and equipment disappeared after a direct hit.  

 

She proudly tells us that the Swedish branch of Wild Bees works on a direct assignment for the government agency in Kiev that is responsible for rescue services and civil defense. 

 

- We deliver practice mines to them. It is an honorable mission.  

 

The operation is financed with donations from private individuals and companies.