Support The Moscow Times!

Crimea Evacuates Thousands of Children Over Pollution Concerns

Sergei Malgavko / TASS

The government of Crimea evacuated thousands of children from their schools in the town of Armyansk on Tuesday after high levels of sulfur dioxide in the air raised pollution concerns.

Russian-backed Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said the concentration of the toxic gas in the air exceeded standard levels during monitoring carried out by local agencies.

Speaking at a news conference in Armyansk, Aksyonov said a local factory that produces titanium dioxide pigment, which is used in food coloring and paint, would temporarily close for two weeks. Aksyonov did not confirm whether the high levels of sulfur dioxide in the air were linked to the factory's operations.

Residents have been complaining about foul smells and a rust-colored sticky substance on surfaces since August 23, Aksyonov said.

Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula, was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss 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