# "Saran"wrap on russian POWs - is this a new thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [February 26, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164 "2022-02-26T20:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/1 "2022-02-26T20:52:49Z")
Hi there, yes, I do spend way too much time informing myself what is going on in Ucraine … A “new” thing (to me) … I have seen a few pics of russian POWs, with some sort of saran-wrap over eyes and ears. Unfortunately most are on reddit and it does not allow to link to them (search for “_russian pow ukraine reddit_” on image google) I “get” it … this allows POWs to have limited vision and audition (to move/be moved around, receive orders), but probably are not able to see or hear any details etc… so actually a fairly smart thing My Q now: is this a new thing? is this a Ukrainian thing? … or is it standard procedure? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/2 "2022-02-26T20:56:24Z")
Given the situation in Ukraine it would not surprise me one bit if it was completely improvised by someone with nothing readily available to make a traditional blindfold who just happened to have a roll of foodwrap at hand. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2022, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/3 "2022-02-26T20:58:22Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > russian pow ukraine reddit I’m not seeing that and used the search you suggested. One photo does have the heads blurred out, which I assume is not to reveal who they are, but perhaps that’s what you are talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/4 "2022-02-26T23:07:03Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > russian pow ukraine reddit yeah, what I see in google might not be the same that you see … image google: Ukrainian soldiers let Russian captive soldier to call his parents reddit on closer inspection, it seems to be clear-package-tape, rather than saran-wrap ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2022, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/5 "2022-02-26T23:13:21Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > My Q now: is this a new thing? is this a Ukrainian thing? … or is it standard procedure? In my service time and beyond, I’d never heard of this before. But it does make some sense - it blurs vision and hearing a little. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2022, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/6 "2022-02-27T00:01:12Z")
First read the OP as “Sarin” and thought we’d turned a war crime into a fashion statement ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2022, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/7 "2022-02-27T00:06:45Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > it seems to be clear-package-tape, rather than saran-wrap Oh, that would be quite effective. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/8 "2022-02-28T18:39:01Z")
According to conversations with someone I know who had been a drug “mule”, saran wrap was used by gangs as a terror tactic. Easily done with hand held package wrapping rolls about a foot wide. The victim was wrapped immobilizing their arms and legs and maybe around the face and taken to a bridge for a last chance to tell the gang what they needed to know. He said the effect was absolutely terrifying. > **[Vestil 19 in. x 10 in. Ergo Style Hand Held Stretch Wrapper SW-HAND-BG - The...](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Vestil-19-in-x-10-in-Ergo-Style-Hand-Held-Stretch-Wrapper-SW-HAND-BG/303100338)** > > The Hand Held Stretch Wrapper is a lightweight, freewheeling dispenser that maintains precision tension. Control that insures a tight, smooth application. The ergonomically bent, foam covered handle reduces ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/9 "2022-02-28T22:05:40Z")
Saran wrap (or similar plastic wrap, all the way up to “restraint wrap”) also has its uses in BDSM. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/10 "2022-02-28T22:54:37Z")
and is - for reasons not completely clear to me - widely used in citizen’s detentions in LatAm … muggers being saran-wrapped to light-poles before police shows up ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/11 "2022-03-03T06:17:40Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > and is - for reasons not completely clear to me - widely used in citizen’s detentions in LatAm … muggers being saran-wrapped to light-poles before police shows up Because clingy plastic wrap is cheap, readily available without a license or special permission, and fairly effective for the purpose (especially when combined with duct tape)? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saran-wrap-on-russian-pows-is-this-a-new-thing/960164/12 "2022-03-03T18:26:46Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > Unfortunately most are on reddit and it does not allow to link to them Why? The website doesn’t disallow links and half of the images are on imgur anyway.