Residents of most regions of Southern Russia celebrate New Year without mass celebrations

Amid the military operation in Ukraine, authorities of most regions of Southern Russia have banned mass celebrations on the occasion of the New Year, with the exception of festive events for children. Mayors of several cities have also changed the format of New Year celebrations.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that since this October, authorities of at least four regions of the North-Caucasian and Southern Federal Districts (NCFD and SFD), namely, the Rostov Region, the Krasnodar Territory, the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) and North Ossetia, have abandoned the most massive celebrations on the occasion of the New Year. The format of New Year's events was also changed by the Mayoralties of the capitals of NCFD republics: the administration of Grozny cancelled the festive fireworks and a concert in the central square; and the Mayoralty of Makhachkala abandoned the fireworks, and planning New Year's events for families and children of participants in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.

Authorities of other NCFD and SFD have cancelled mass New Year's events. Thus, authorities of Adygea left only the children's program in the full-fledged format.

Mass celebrations have also been cancelled in the Volgograd Region; authorities of the region decided to hold only holidays for children, explaining this decision with "ethical reasons."

Large-scale festivities and festive concerts for the New Year will not be held in the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR), the RBC reported with reference to the head of the republic, Rashid Temrezov.

The authorities of the Stavropol Territory have planned New Year's events "without innovations and frills," deciding to make the New Year festive primarily for children.