Russians in the city of Orsk gathered in a rare protest Monday, calling for compensation following the collapse of a dam and subsequent flooding in the Orenburg region near the border with Kazakhstan.
Protests are an unusual sight in Russia where authorities have consistently cracked down on any form of dissent following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the administrative building in Orsk Monday, Russian state news agency Tass said, while videos shared on Russian social media channels showed people chanting “Putin, help us,” and “shame.”
The floods, caused by rising water levels in the Ural River, forced over 4,000 people, including 885 children, to evacuatein the Orenburg region, the regional government said Sunday. Tass said Monday that around 10,000 homes, including some 7,000 in Orsk, were flooded in the region and that floodwaters in the city are continuing to rise. Footage from Orsk and Orenburg showed water partially submerging buildings, including homes, as well as nearby fields.
Putin: “Bah, you don’t need homes! You all just enlisted to fight in Ukraine last week - we have the signed documents back at the Kremlin if you’d like to review them. Your patriotism brings a tear to my eye.”