Support The Moscow Times!

26% of Moscow Is Closed to Cars and Pedestrians

More than a quarter of Moscow is out-of-bounds to both cars and pedestrians that are not authorized to enter its various off-limits zones, a news report said Monday.

About 11 percent of Moscow is designated as "closed" and is accessible only to employees of organizations located in these areas, such as railroad or military facilities, according to a study by Moscow city planners, RBC Daily reported.

Within the capital's ring road, more than 15 percent of land is taken up by industrial zones, gated housing communities, private office buildings or garage cooperatives, where private security guards prevent trespassing.

Beyond these areas, another 11 percent of the city is made up of public spaces that are largely open to the public, but which are subject to some kind of temporary restriction. This includes parks or school yards that are only open during certain times of the day.

Architect Eduard Khaiman said residents of some districts on the outskirts of the city are fencing off their neighborhoods, making the areas difficult to navigate, while pedestrian traffic in downtown Moscow is often blocked by kiosks or parking lots.

Municipal legislature lawmaker Yelena Tkach added that construction projects in the city — which require whole city blocks to be sealed off — often see smaller old buildings being replaced with larger new ones.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more