Moscow subway stations will be outfitted with trash cans for the first time in nearly 40 years, an official said Monday. Trash cans were removed from the system in the wake of a Soviet-era bombing that killed seven and wounded dozens more.
The trash cans “will be transparent and will hold no more than one kilogram [of waste], so they will be perfectly safe,” Yury Degtyaryov, deputy head of the Moscow metro, was cited as saying by the Moskva news agency.
The trash cans are intended mostly to serve as receptacles for used subway tickets and paper cups; the need for the containers was prompted by the metro’s plans to install coffee vending machines at stations, Degtyaryov was quoted as saying.
“Naturally, after this issue [of coffee machines] is adopted, it will be necessary to place trash cans at the stations, so that people don’t throw away empty cups on the subway,” Degtyaryov said, Moskva reported.
Trash cans were removed from the Moscow metro in 1977 following a bombing on the tracks between the Izmailovskaya and Pervomaiskaya stations on the dark blue line. Seven people were killed in the attack, and dozens of others were injured.
A Soviet court blamed the killing on Armenian nationalists and sentenced the defendants to death by firing squad, although human rights activists raised doubts about the validity of the closed-door trial. Moscow’s metro has also seen a series of deadly bombings by Islamic militants in recent decades.
Contact the author at a.dolgov@imedia.ru
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.
