Thousands of demonstrators in northern Russia continued months of protests against Moscow’s plans to ship its garbage outside its city limits and demanded their governor to resign.
Russians across 26 regions, including Arkhangelsk, have staged protests against Moscow’s plan to solve a trash crisis by sending waste to surrounding regions. Anti-trash reform sentiment has been most pronounced in Arkhangelsk and Syktyvkar as authorities construct a massive landfill at a rail station in the former village of Shiyes.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 protesters gathered for an unauthorized rally Sunday, calling for Arkhangelsk region Governor Igor Orlov to resign over the 10.5 billion ruble ($160.7 million) landfill's construction, media outlets reported.
Protest organizer Yury Chesnokov was detained at the demonstration until Tuesday for an unpaid fine. On Monday, the OVD-Info police-monitoring website reported that at least seven other protesters had been detained.
Around 3,000 demonstrators in the neighboring republic of Komi also demanded the resignation of their governor over the Shiyes landfill.
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.
