On the Day of the City, central Grozny completely blocked by power agents

Today, Chechnya holds a mass celebration of the Day of Grozny; however, residents and guests of the Chechen capital cannot get into the city centre. Power agents have blocked the traffic of pedestrians and motor vehicles in the area of the complex of high-rise buildings "Grozny City" and Akhmat Kadyrov Avenue.

"With my friends we helplessly tried for an hour and a half to walk towards the 'Grozny City', but nobody was let to go past the city department store.

There, at every corner, there were policemen and militaries; and people were not let even through metal detector frames. They explained that they were waiting for some command 'from the top'," Khizir T., a resident of Grozny, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Locals also report that central streets of the city are blocked for motor traffic; and only cars with the number plates starting with KRA (Kadyrov, Ramzan Akhmetovich) can freely drive there (such number plates are usually issued in Chechnya to high-ranking officials, law enforcement officers and fellow villagers of the head of the republic Ramzan Kadyrov).

At the approach to the complex of high-rise buildings "Grozny City" frames of metal detectors are installed. All major streets and intersections are patrolled by reinforced police and military units, while roads are blocked not only with metal railings, but also with police cars.

"I personally failed to feel any festive atmosphere; on the contrary, before on o'clock in the afternoon the central Grozny was almost completely deserted. The streets were much less crowded than in ordinary days, not to mention the road transport," said one of local observers.

According to the press service of the head and the government of Chechnya, the streets of Grozny are decorated with flags, festive illuminations, congratulatory banners, garlands of flowers and flags. The Day of the City was marked by commissioning of the Republic's Clinical Hospital, opening of the reconstructed Akhmad Kadyrov Avenue and the multifunctional business complex of high-rise buildings "Grozny City".

Today, on the occasion of celebrations, Grozny will host a concert with participation of world stars. Among the guests, such names are mentioned as the famous actor Jean Claude Van Dam, the violinist Vanessa Mae and the other variety and movie stars.