×
Enjoying ad-free content?
Since July 1, 2024, we have disabled all ads to improve your reading experience.
This commitment costs us $10,000 a month. Your support can help us fill the gap.
Support us
Our journalism is banned in Russia. We need your help to keep providing you with the truth.

Mob of Russian Children Swarms Santa Clauses From Coca-Cola's ‘Christmas Caravan’

Coca-Cola’s iconic “Christmas Trucks” are currently caravaning throughout Europe, where they’re bringing holiday joy and free soda water to anybody willing to meet them outside in the cold. In Russia, there have been more than a few takers.

This Sunday, the trucks rolled into the city of Ufa, where a mob of children nearly devoured a team of Santas who couldn’t give away the free Cokes fast enough.

A local man named Alexander Konorov shared footage of the scene at Ufa’s Lenin Square on Dec. 25, where police were unable to keep dozens of children from swarming several men dressed as Santa Claus.

The crowd was so large and unruly that the caravan had to deviate slightly from its planned route, witnesses told the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries.

The rush for Coca-Cola in Ufa wasn’t the only time in 2016 when Russians raced for an iconic American edible. This summer, the doors to Barnaul’s first ever McDonald’s restaurant swung open, and customers stampeded inside, desperate to be the first to lay their hands on some burgers and fries.

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