Kemerovo tragedy: Putin fails to appear at protest rally


Russia declared a nationwide one-day mourning for the fire victims in Kemerovo. People who lost their families and friends as well as condolents want to know the truth about the number of dead in the blaze.

On Tuesday morning, thousands of people protested near the administration building in Kemerovo. According to investigators, emergency exits were closed and the fire alarm system did not work properly. The fire at the four-storey building of Winter Cherry shopping mall erupted on Sunday on the top floor where a cinema, a petting zoo, a children’s center and food courts were located.

My kids choked on smoke, we managed to identify their bodies. We saw bodies of other children without arms or legs, with no half a head. They opened bags, there were only arms and legs,” Sergei Ogarkov, a resident of Kemerovo, says.

Electrical wiring fire is the most probable cause of what happened. The flame spread to the cinema, where the cartoon was being shown, and within a few minutes it covered the area of about 1,600 square meters. At certain points the temperature rose to 600 degrees. According to Interfax news agency, there are 41 children among 64 victims.

Protesters believe that the real number of victims is being hushed up by the authorities. They call on the government to tell the truth.

They say they took 200 persons out of the building. Really? Those 200 left the building yourselves! And others suffocated on the top floors,” Ogarkov said.

On Tuesday morning – 1.5 days after the tragedy – Vladimir Putin arrived in Kemerovo. He brought flowers to a makeshift memorial to the victims of the fire. Notably, there were no local residents in the vicinity. In the afternoon he held a meeting with Kemerovo governor and public officials. However, he failed to appear at a spontaneous rally.

“We keep talking about demographic problems and keep losing so many people. Due to what? Due to prevarication and disorderliness,” he said.

Meanwhile, memorial events are being held throughout Russia and abroad. People continue to bring flowers, candles, posters and fluffy toys to special places. Belarus is also mourning for the victims. In Homiel, a public memorial service took place. Belarusians are laying flowers to the Russian Embassy in Minsk. President Alyaksandr Lukashenka ordered the Belarusian flags to fly at half mast on March, 28.

“We don’t want such things to happen in Belarus. The Emergencies Ministry will not be able to do it alone within a short period of time. This is why I’d like you to get involved. I would like you to most severely punish shortcomings, which may lead to grave consequences, particularly for people and kids,” Lukashenka instructed Interior Minister Ihar Shunevich.

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