An explosive device has been set off outside the national Pension Fund office in western Russia as tensions reach fever pitch over government plans to raise the retirement age.
Lawmakers are pushing through a bill to increase the retirement age by 2034 in what the authorities call long-overdue reforms that a majority of Russians oppose, according to polls.
Authorities in the city of Kaluga launched a criminal investigation into hooliganism on Friday after the entrance to the Pension Fund’s office was blown off, according to local media.
No casualties were reported in the early morning explosion.
Video shared by the Nika regional broadcaster showed the damaged office door, wall and debris on the ground. The news and footage of the explosion was later removed from Nika’s website and social network page.
The office of the Kaluga Pension Fund said it was working as usual despite the incident.
The State Duma is scheduled to hold expanded parliamentary hearings on the controversial retirement age hike during summer recess on Aug. 21, speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Friday.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
