Bloggers and social media users in Krasnoyarsk reported earlier this week that local officials made a special effort to clean up the city ahead of a visit by President Putin, according to Newsru.com, citing local media.
“Trucks delivered clean snow to Krasnoyarsk,” Twitter user Andrei Maximov wrote on Tuesday, quoting a local radio station.
The report also says the smog that has regularly covered the city for the past 20 days suddenly disappeared before Putin arrived. The same thing happened last year, right before Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited the city for the Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum.
Utility companies reportedly redoubled their snow-clearing efforts, washed some of the streets, and even re-parked some cars, in order to give parking spaces a better appearance. Gardeners apparently trimmed the grass, where it was visible. One of the cafes in the city center also reportedly changed the advertisement on its LED display to read, “Putin is our president!”
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.
