Clean and Comfortable

September’s Moscow mayoral elections were designed to reelect Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who is credited with funneling massive funding into the city’s parks, sidewalks and squares, while at the same time shrinking its protected nature zones and tolerating zero criticism of his policies.

Though no true opposition candidates were allowed to run in the election, city hall has backed a massive reelection campaign, including on the internet.

In that realm, ever-acerbic Muscovites have accused the mayor of paying celebrities to extol the capital’s beauty on Instagram, often using boilerplate language.

Said campaigning became so blatant and widespread that internet users proceeded to pour out tongue-in-cheek praise for the mayor, with sometimes hilarious results.

Praising or trolling – you be the judge.

“My Moscow, where once I never could have dreamed of living. And with each year this city becomes more beautiful and more modern, because the person tending to it really gives a s**t, cross that out, he really cares! For those who don’t know, he is S.S. Sobyanin!”

– Larisa Guzeyeva, actress

“I travel a lot and the difference between Moscow and other world metropolises has been erased, and yet our capital has preserved its uniqueness. I’d like to express respect for the movement #ForSobyanin for the fact that Moscow is developing and clearly will not leave all tourists and residents indifferent.”

– Famous rapper Yegor Krid

“Five years ago I left Russia, to escape prosecution under Article 282 [extremism] and have not been back since 2014. But even then I could not have imagined how Moscow would change over the years through the labors of Sergei Sobyanin. Now it is a comfortable European city, clean and beautiful.”

– David Homak, who launched the website
Lurkmore.to but was forced to leave the country

“A year ago, a national guard officer broke my arm because I parked in the Moscow mayor’s spot. But even then I could not imagine how Moscow would change over the years through the labors of Sergei Sobyanin. Now it is a comfortable European city, clean and beautiful.”

Opposition activist Vadim Korovin

“I would like to express huge gratitude to the Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, for the fact that in 100 grams of pistachios I found not a single one that was unopened, not like it was in the time of Luzhkov. Guys, how lucky we were to get our mayor!”

“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. But even then I could not imagine how Moscow would change over the years through the labors of Sergei Sobyanin. Now it is a comfortable European city, clean and beautiful.”