MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/: Traditional Christmas and New Year celebrations in Saint Petersburg will be canceled and all previously allocated money for the festivities will be channeled to finance volunteers and mobilized troops of the special military operation in Ukraine, the municipal authorities said in a statement on Friday.
"During a session with Governor Alexander Beglov with members of the municipal administration it was decided to cancel previously scheduled events dedicated to New Year festivities," the statement reads.
"All available funds will be channeled into a special Saint Petersburg [account] stipulating extra outfit and gear for volunteers and mobilized citizens," Beglov said.
It was previously noted that all mobilized people in Saint Petersburg would be paid a bonus of 100,000 rubles (over $1,600), while volunteers would get 300,000 rubles in bonuses (over $4,800).
Mayor of the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod Yury Shalabayev also stated that previously scheduled New Year and Christmas celebrations, including music concerts and festivities, would be cancelled and all previously allocated financial means would be channeled to aid the families of mobilized Russian nationals.
"I have received numerous questions via social websites from our citizens about planned mass festivities, concerts and fireworks to mark the [upcoming] New Year. My response is no, although we planned them initially," he said.
"However, we will still carry on with New Year celebrations for children and festive events in schools and kindergartens," the mayor of Nizhny Novgorod added.
On September 21, President Vladimir Putin declared a partial mobilization in Russia. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu clarified that 300,000 reservists would be called up, who would undergo training before being sent to the special military operation zone.
From September 23 to September 27, the DPR and the LPR as well as the Kherson and the Zaporozhye Regions held referendums where the majority of voters opted to join Russia.
On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the four regions signed treaties on their accession to Russia.
On October 5, President Putin signed laws on ratifying the accession of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) as well as of the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions to Russia following a granted approval from both houses of the Russian parliament - the State Duma and the Federation Council.
