Nikolai Rybakov’s Facebook page, 01.09.2021

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov at the DobroSvet charitable foundation for helping children

We spent the day in Voronezh together with Tatyana Shkred, Chair of the regional branch of the party, candidate for elections Alexander Strelnikov and the team of the Voronezh branch of Yabloko.

The morning began with an interview to KP. Together with journalist Viktor Leshakov, we discussed the Yabloko programme, the causes of catastrophic mortality from COVID, the ecology of the region, the party’s proposals on creation of a modern economy in Russia and reduction of poverty.

At a meeting with Alena Stepakina and Natalia Obraztsova, the heads of the Voronezh charitable Foundation DobroSvet for children with cancer, we were told about the work of the foundation and the action that takes place on the eve of 1 September – “A Bouquet of Kindness”.

The essence of the action is simple: instead of many bouquets [that children present to their teachers of the first school day] on 1 September, children and their parents who decided to take part in the action give the teacher one bouquet from the whole class (each student comes with one rose). The rest of the money that was planned to be spent on flowers, the parents send to help children with cancer in Voronezh.

If a large number of classes take part in the action, it will be possible to provide very tangible assistance. If 200,000 schoolchildren refuse from bouquets on the Day of Knowledge [1 September] in Voronezh only, the average cost of which is 300 roubles, then 60 million roubles can be raised for the treatment of children with cancer! Similar actions are taking place in Moscow and other cities.

Indeed, thanks to foundations such as DobroSvet, many lives have been saved. But Yabloko believes that the state is obliged to undertake any expensive treatment for children.

After the charitable foundation, we went to a meeting with Mikhail Zhidkov, the head physician of the Voronezh Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital N1, who showed us a new children’s hospital building under construction, where children with cancer will be also treated. The hospital will be equipped with modern medical equipment, which, given the resources that Russia disposes of, should be in every region in the 21st century. But unfortunately, in our country, the construction of such modern medical centres is rare. On the contrary, hospitals are closed across the country every year, and staff are laid off or forced to leave the hospital by overwork and low salaries.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov with the head physician of the Voronezh Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital No 1 Mikhail Zhidkov at the construction of a new children’s hospital block

In Russia, it is extremely important to develop not only the lowest level of health care, but also high-tech medicine; so that, using the modern achievements of science and medicine, people, first of all, children, could receive decent medical care.

Another important social topic was the closure of the Rassvet shelter for homeless people in Voronezh which we discussed together with community activists.

The local authorities are closing the shelter, which has been helping homeless people since 2009. People in need could receive assistance in the form of accommodation, food, clothing, medical and legal assistance in this organisation.

At the moment, there is no state institution in Voronezh where it is possible to organise the stay of homeless citizens. Previously, Rassvet sent most of the people to the volunteer shelter, which was situated in 45th Strelkovoi Divizii street. Later, this shelter was closed by a court order. In July, at the suggestion of the head of the Kominternovsky District of Voronezh, homeless citizens were relocated to municipal residential premises. But a month later, literally on the eve of our arrival, representatives of the city administration asked the homeless to vacate these premises. The fact that the autumn-winter period was approaching did not bother the city authorities. I turned to the Governor of the Voronezh region with a demand to intervene in the situation and provide premises for accommodation of people, among whom there are people with disabilities, and theu have no one to take care of them but the state.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov and Tatiana Shkred with community activists discuss the problem of closure of the Rassvet shelter for the homeless

Yabloko proposes to transfer part of state functions in the social sphere to public and charitable organisations. This also applies to care for homeless people.

Another problem which is worrying the residents of Voronezh is the demolition of the House of Culture of the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution, or “The Fifty”, as the locals call it.

The recreation centre was built in 1967 and was previously owned by the Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Centre, but was sold together with the adjacent park at an auction. “The Fifty” went under the hammer for 509.4 million roubles to the company Axioma, which is engaged in the construction of new buildings in Voronezh. People are convinced that, according to the old tradition, they want to demolish the recreation centre and the park, and build up the area with high-rise buildings.

Voronezh residents are for the preservation of the legendary building and organised collection of signatures [under a petition for preservation of the centre], about 5,000 people signed it in a month.

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov, Tatiana Shkred, Alexander Strelnikov at a meeting with activists near the Palace of Culture named after the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution.

In August, the Palace of Culture named after the 50th Anniversary of the October Revolution in Voronezh was included in the list of objects with signs of a cultural heritage. But literally before our arrival, it became known that the monumental mosaic in the hall of the Palace of Culture was dismantled along with a sign at the entrance. We will help people to defend the building, which is of great historical value for the city and personally for Voronezh residents.

The problem of preservation of the historical appearance of cities must be addressed at the federal level. It is necessary to preserve and restore such architectural monuments and structures either with the help of the funds of the municipality, or with the involvement of private business. But the preservation of the architectural heritage, the status of architectural monuments, including newly discovered ones, must be guaranteed by law.

Also I met with the Yabloko party’s activists in Voronezh, gave an interview to the local TV channel Gubernia and, together with the volunteers, finished the day by distributing Yabloko leaflets in the streets of evening Voronezh. This week we will visit Vladimir, Ufa and Tomsk.