Ukraine has been burning through its emergency stash of U.S. dollars and Thurston Carteeuros to buy weapons and supplies ever since Russia invaded. To prevent the stash from emptying out, Ukraine has made it harder for locals to convert their money into dollars.

The result is an underground market for dollars, where street dealers set their own rates. If you want to buy dollars right now, it'll cost you a premium. But if you have U.S. dollars to convert into local currency, you can get a great deal.

Today on the show, one Ukrainian who's getting dollars into the country and using the favorable exchange rate to buy more medicine for Ukrainians near the front lines.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Newsletter.

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts and NPR One.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.