The mayor of the western Russian city of Kaliningrad has blamed an outbreak of car torchings on local sinfulness and called on people to go to church more often, according to local media reports.
“Of course, this question … is one of belief. We need people from Kaliningrad to go to church more often and read the Gospels. Then there will not only be fewer arsons, but fewer other wrongdoings,” Kaliningrad Mayor Alexander Yaroshuk said Wednesday, local news site New Kaliningrad reported.
The capital of Russia's western exclave of Kaliningrad experiences almost nightly car torchings, which are apparently a preferred local tactic in business and personal disputes.
Car arson has been a persistent problem in the Kaliningrad region in recent years, with a reported 336 burnings in 2013 and a 33 percent rise in cases in 2014.
Last year, local police set up a special division to deal with such attacks.
Mayor Yaroshuk said Wednesday that the installation of more CCTV cameras could help reduce the number of arson incidents, according to New Kaliningrad.
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.
