Russian military ship, palianytsia, the map of Ukraine, trident, Javelins — patriotic and war-themed tattoos are all the rage in the tattoo parlours all over Ukraine.
Tattoo parlours stay open in the cities relatively unaffected by the ongoing hostilities. Some are located in basements, and others schedule appointments for the hours where air raid alarms are the fewest.
Tattoo artists say that fewer people come for ink than before the war, although there are still more customers than expected. Tattoos are seemingly something people can do without in such difficult times, but many people come to make their first these days. “It’s now or never,” they say.
Nobody is sure now what the future may hold. Also, many people have finally decided on the designs: it’s mostly something war-themed or patriotic. These include some popular subjects like the military ship going in the well-known direction and classic Ukrainian symbols: ears of wheat, tridents, and the national flag, to name a few. Making tattoos like these, the artists often take money for materials only or offer to donate it to the army.
