In a rare display of public dissent, residents in a southern Russian city have directly appealed to President Vladimir Putin to stop the construction of a church dedicated to the country's soldiers in a popular local park.
Residents Appeal to Putin Over Park Plans
The proposed church is planned for a riverside park in the Yubileiny district of Krasnodar. The development has triggered significant local opposition, leading to a public gathering where a resident read out a message to a large crowd. The exact date of this protest remains unclear.
The message implored Putin to preserve the green space by the Kuban river for future generations. "We are not against religion. We are in favour of the law," the person stated, adding that the authorities were not listening. "We are forced to shout. Yubileiny is against this development."
War Memorial or Park Preservation?
Officials have stated the planned church would honour "the heroes of the special military operation" – the Kremlin's official term for its war in Ukraine. However, the conflict connection was not the main focus of the residents' objections.
Alexander Safronov, a Communist member of the local parliament, clarified the position: "Residents are not opposed to the church in principle, but they do not want the embankment to be developed." Such protests are highly unusual in Russia, especially since the crackdown on dissent intensified after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Media Slurs and Online Backlash
The dispute has escalated into a war of words. Spas, a conservative religious television channel, has argued for more churches in Krasnodar and labelled opponents of the project as "raving Communists." Safronov hit back, claiming the channel had poured "lies and filth" on the protesters, a move he said had inadvertently swelled their numbers.
The issue has also generated lively debate on a Krasnodar chatroom on the Russian social network VK. Some residents insisted the city already has plenty of churches, with one user posting a pointed critique: "Prayers alone won't fix what is happening in this country."
The standoff in Krasnodar highlights the tension between state-backed projects linked to the war and local concerns over urban green spaces, unfolding against a backdrop where open protest carries considerable risk.
