January 02, 2023

War or Celebration?


War or Celebration?
Firework display. The Russian Life files.

On New Year's eve, fireworks light up skies across the globe. But, because of the war in Ukraine, this was not the case for countries closest to the conflict. 

In Moscow region, over 200 sites had fireworks shows. However, even in some Russian regions far from the Ukrainian border, such as Amur and Omsk, mass gatherings were canceled and pyrotechnics were prohibited. Governor Alexander Beglov recognized that the context of the conflict with Ukraine was why celebrations were suspended in St. Petersburg.  

The sound of blasts can trigger PTSD in survivors of war. At the beginning of the invasion, Ukrainian officials banned pyrotechnics to protect the population's mental health. 

Riga and other Latvian cities also suspended fireworks displays.

 

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