Original Material
Belgorod Oblast authorities refuse to declare mourning on December 30 to avoid disrupting New Year celebrations
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov declined to declare December 30 a day of mourning for those who died in the shelling of Belgorod one year ago. He made this statement while responding to questions from residents of the region on December 23.
A woman from Belgorod asked Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov to declare December 30 a day of mourning to honor all residents of Belgorod Oblast who have died during the war.
"The war is not over. Such decisions should be made carefully after the special military operation concludes. We will discuss the dates — December 30 is a deeply tragic day for us, but it is also a New Year holiday. We cannot risk confusion, as the saying goes, 'Is it a wedding or a funeral?' A city is a living organism, and we will not change the date of New Year," Gladkov replied.
On December 30, 2023, Belgorod was shelled, resulting in 25 deaths and over 100 injuries. One day earlier, missile strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities claimed 30 lives.
In September 2024, regional authorities unveiled designs for a monument dedicated to the civilians who died on December 30. In October, a Special Military Operation (SMO) park featuring banners commemorating major attacks on Belgorod Oblast was opened in the settlement of Dubovy.