Muscovites on Tuesday rushed to provide evidence of drivers who did not seek to profit from Monday’s dual metro bombings, responding to condemnations from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill a day earlier.
Many eyewitnesses insisted that far from all motorists and cab drivers used the suspension of a long stretch of the Red Line during the busy morning rush hour to charge exorbitant prices — sometimes 10 times as much as standard fees — to give people a lift to work.
“There were lines of cars that drove people for free,” a LiveJournal blogger with the nickname Kelni wrote in her post. “There were people who made a point of ferrying others around.”
“I hitched rides with four cars getting to work,” writer Linor Goralik said in her blog. “No one agreed to take money.
“I personally saw many people who prompted my admiration and respect.”
During a government meeting on the suicide bombings, which killed at least 39 people and interrupted metro traffic, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday urged business people who “work with transport” not to inflate their fees.
“I urge everyone to not abuse the situation, not inflate prices, not create additional problems, but on the contrary show solidarity with the people who are in a lurch,” he said.
City Hall on Monday condemned cab drivers who hiked their rates.
“It’s amoral to make a profit from someone’s grief,” a transportation and communications department spokesperson said, Interfax reported.
The city sent more than 130 additional buses to carry stranded metro passengers Monday.
Patriarch Kirill was also indignant after several media outlets ran reports about private taxi drivers who were trying to earn some extra money Monday.
“This money will be of no good to you,” he said in a statement to motorists after a memorial service for those who died in the bombings. “Give it back or use it for good causes.”
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.