There is no Pravda in Khimki

In the events taking place in Khimki near Moscow, a certain trend is being more distinctly traced: in less than five years, almost all opposition newspapers disappeared in the city. Now on newspaper shelves exclusively “Khimkinsky news” are sold. Sellers on the trays claim that in addition to the newspaper administration, they do not make other newspapers in Khimki. This is not entirely true, but not so far from the truth - in four years in a small town there were several attacks on journalists who criticized the Khimki administration. Angela Dumova, the chief lawyer of the Khimki administration, calls this coincidences. However, eco -defenders and close media workers, on whom the attack took place, is not shared by her opinion. Maria Klimova tried to find civil activity in Khimki.

In the house of the journalist Mikhail Beketov, I found people who install the "alarming button." Natalia, the former layout of the Khimkinskaya Pravda, lives in Beketov’s house for almost six months, along with his family and with her husband. In the courtyard of the house, an old journalist car and a large dog booth.

“After his dog was killed, Misha flatly refused to start any living creatures of the house. Although it will be possible to talk to him about this, maybe now he will agree, ”says Natalia. Beketov does not have a wife and children and it was she who took all the care of him. “It is impossible to leave him alone, there should always be someone nearby,” she says. Sounds expressing discontent are heard from the room where the Beketov is located. “He does not like when they talk about him without him,” she explains.

Shortly before my arrival, the crew of Channel Channel came to Beketov’s house. The former editor of Khimkinskaya Pravda was now in a bad mood: the journalists now and then asked him to walk, stand, turn. Beketov was tired and even tried to drive them out.

The news that the Investigative Committee will resume the investigation in the case of his beating, Beketov met quite calmly. In any case, he did not demonstrate any violent emotions. It is possible that he no longer believes that the perpetrators will be punished.

All guests of Beketov shakes his hands and thanks for having come - he crosses his palms on his chest and bows slightly. He spent almost a year and a half in different hospitals and still really needs communication. He showed me the hem of the Khimkinskaya Pravda. The newspaper was published in a circulation of 8 thousand copies. Even the circulation of the current administrative newspaper Khimkinsky News is 2 thousand less. Beketov opens each page of the binder and each time shows to his last name in the editor column. He explains something, but it is sometimes very difficult to understand him. Perhaps this is good only in Natalia and Lyudmila Fedotova, the head of the journalist assistance fund. Beketov sees a misunderstanding on my face, begins to get angry and clap his palm on a healthy leg. Due to severe brain injury, he cannot even ask guests to leave his room.

Beketov’s beating provoked many rumors. So, many say that the neighbors saw how they beat the journalist, but reported that the man was lying behind the fence of his house, only in the morning. They said that the unknown people called the intensive care unit of the Khimki hospital and promised Bekethov to finish. They also say that the editor of the scandalous newspaper informed that there would be an attempt on him, another 10 days before the beating. “But he did not leave. He has always been and remains very stubborn, ”says Natalia. She led me to the gate, sat Beketov in a wheelchair and they went for a walk.

Opposition publications in Khimki almost disappeared. In 2006, the editor -in -chief of the Opposition newspaper Civil Forum, Yuri Grain and its producing editor Yuri Slyusarev, were brutally beaten by iron pipes, after which the newspaper ceased to exist. Traces of its existence is now almost impossible to find. Several attempts were made on Anatoly Yurov, the editor -in -chief of the Khimki newspaper Civil Consent. Two years ago, he received 10 stab wounds.

“We have already endured so much! Today, people with NTV called! Again you and the authorities are pushing us! How much can! Do not call us anymore! ”, The woman working in the editorial office of“ Civil Consent ”shouted at me immediately after I found out that I was also a journalist.

The attack on the eco -defender Konstantin Fetisov, which happened a week ago, is also the attack. Now he is in serious condition. Doctors are not taken to make any forecasts.

Some residents explain what is happening in Khimki, a mystical pattern - a pagan centaur on the coat of arms of the city supposedly attracts all kinds of troubles to chemicals. There are a lot of dissatisfied with the policy of the authorities. Perhaps that is why the inhabitants were not outraged by the riots at the city administration in July this year. Khimchanes note that very expensive cars often stop at the building.

“Previously, at least the Volga bought for their eyes, but now no one is shy,” says one of the residents of the city near Moscow. The fact is that several years ago, city officials for decency went to work on domestic cars - some time ago this habit disappeared.

The Khimchanes have not rely on the elections, referendums or other self -government options for a long time. But they pay attention to the fact that federal television channels began to engage in the topic of Khimki, although they had no such habit before. It is possible that the situation will soon develop by analogy with Luzhkov - after seven years that Strelchenko spent at the helm, they wanted to change it and the attack begins again with the information struggle.