June 24 () –
The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, has ordered the cancellation of all massive events that would have been planned in the city and the application of the anti-terrorist operation regime.
“Anti-terrorist measures are currently in force in Moscow. Consequently, all previously announced mass events have been cancelled,” Sobyanin reported in an official message collected by the Russian news agency TASS.
The Moscow mayor has stressed, however, that all city services continue to function normally and “there are no restrictions on movement.” “I want to thank the residents and visitors to Moscow for their understanding and calm response to this situation,” Sobyanin said on Telegram.
Meanwhile, roadblocks have been installed and security has been increased at key city facilities, according to security forces sources quoted by the TASS news agency. Specifically, the protection of “all important facilities, official bodies and transport infrastructures” has been increased.
The troops of the Mobile Squad for Special Purposes (OMON) and the Special Rapid Response Squad (SOBR), specialized agencies for public order control, are also on alert.
Thus, the graduation parties of the schools scheduled in the Gorky Park in the capital have been postponed for a week, the Moscow Department of Education and Science has reported. Likewise, all scheduled football matches have been suspended “until further notice”, the Moscow Football Federation has reported and Interfax reports.
The governor of the Moscow region, Andrei Vorobiov, has also announced the application of the anti-terrorism regime in response to the insurrection of the forces of the Wagner mercenary group and their declared intention to march on the Russian capital, Moscow.
The director of the Defense Commission of the Duma or Lower House of the Russian Parliament, Andrei Kartapolov, has stressed, however, that “there is no need to implement martial law in Moscow.” “I mean the situation in the Moscow region, (but) the situation in Rostov the situation is slightly different, but even there there is no need to establish martial law yet, in my opinion,” Kartapolov argued in statements to the Russian public television RBC.
“In a figurative sense there will simply be a couple more booths for the Police. There may be restrictions on the movement of vehicles and pedestrians in some areas of greater security. The Police and security forces may have to request documentation and search vehicles. In general there is nothing to worry about,” he stressed.
Shortly after, the Russian government’s media watchdog, Roskomnadzor (RKN), has warned of provisional restrictions on Internet service “in the areas of the anti-terrorist operation”, which would now include Moscow. However, “the operation of Telegram is not limited at this time” in response to reports of interruptions and slowness in the service.
