NEW DELHI: Several regional leaders in Russia have decided to reduce their local New Year’s celebrations, opting instead to allocate funds towards supporting Moscow’s military efforts in Ukraine. This decision reflects a trend of utilizing existing municipal decorations for New Year’s Eve, while refraining from extravagant fireworks displays and large public gatherings, in light of the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, a Newsweek report said.
In 2022, similar measures were taken by various Russian cities, despite discouragement from Russian Deputy Defense Minister Viktor Goremykin.Moscow’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin hosted a subdued celebration, avoiding fireworks and large street concerts.
In a recent move, Novorossiysk Mayor Andrei Kravchenko announced the cancellation of fireworks, stating that the funds would be better used for equipping Russian soldiers. Sochi Mayor Alexey Kopaygorodsky also called off New Year’s fireworks, directing the savings towards military needs and urging citizens to support this initiative as a gesture of solidarity with soldiers and their families.
Other regions, including the Krasnodar area and cities like Nalchik and Vladikavkaz, have made similar decisions. Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev suggested postponing grand celebrations until the conclusion of military operations, focusing current efforts on supporting military and law enforcement personnel.
These cutbacks in New Year’s festivities come amidst dwindling public support for the war in Ukraine. A poll by Chronicles in October revealed that only about 12% of Russian citizens strongly support the war. Financial concerns were cited as a primary reason for this dissatisfaction, with a significant portion of the Kremlin’s budget being allocated to military spending, impacting household incomes in Russia.