The mayor of the Yakut city of Pokrovsk, Viktor Konstantinov from the 'New People' party, declared a three-day mourning for the fallen Russian soldiers on October 7 – the very day of Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday, reports 'Glavkom'.
From October 7 to 9, all entertainment events have been canceled so that residents can 'focus on supporting the families of the deceased and honoring their memory.'
The declaration of mourning caused outrage among residents
Local channels characterized the declaration of mourning as a 'harsh political action' and noted that the mayor did not cancel his own inauguration on October 3. One of the Telegram channels emphasized: 'Why exactly on Putin's birthday, October 7, 2025, was a three-day mourning declared? Is it a coincidence, the inexperience of the new mayor and his team, or a conscious political step by the 'New People' party, which aims to attract attention before the Duma elections?'
According to media reports, a plane with the bodies arrived in the republic the day before, but the authorities did not specify the number of casualties.
'Russian authorities recognize that the demobilization of participants in the war against Ukraine carries serious internal risks. According to the Kremlin's estimates, veterans could become a catalyst for criminal and political destabilization capable of shaking the system built around personal loyalty to Putin,' the report states.
After the mayor of Pokrovsk declared mourning for the fallen Russian soldiers, outrage arose among local residents. They did not understand the reason for this declaration and began to look for its political subtext. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that the number of dead was not specified, which also raised doubts among the public.