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Eleanor Beardsley

At a French factory, the newest employees come from Ukraine

Ukraine Eleanor Beardsley Vladimir Putin France Kharkiv Luxury NPR
The factory produces leather handbags for French luxury brands. (Eleanor Beardsley/NPR)

SEMUR-EN-AUXOIS, France — In a factory on the edge of the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, French isn't the only language being spoken these days. Over the whir of sewing machines, the sounds of Russian and Ukrainian can be heard as well.

The factory has been turning out leather handbags for French luxury brands since the 1970s. Maroquinerie Thomas' CEO Thierry Thomas says he's hired about 25 Ukrainians this year.

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