<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@whitequark" class="u-url mention">@<span>whitequark</span></a></span> As a Ukrainian I have a bit more to add to this. The reason for most of that specific stuff being used is due to it being the cheapest decent stuff one could get from Ali or manufacture on any generic PCBA line in bulk quickly. Nowadays completely custom solutions are popping up, the stuff you described was just used as a stopgap at the start since it's better than nothing. Both sides are using FOSS/H stuff and when you make something open you need to be ready for anyone to use it</p>
