Officials in Novgorod region face dismissal if they reject donating 10% of their salaries to support the military and their families, as reported by a Novgorod blogger and a 7x7 source on November 22.
The directive mandates the involvement of regional government and municipal administrations' employees in the annual charitable marathon known as the “Christmas Gift.” The blogger Vadim Beriashvili states that officials were threatened with dismissal if they refuse to participate in the charity campaign. They were given pre-written statements, that include an agreement to donate 10% of their monthly salary to the account of the foundation “Save Lives," the organizer of the marathon.
A source close to the Novgorod regional government confirmed to “7x7” that the collection of donations is indeed mandatory, while some officials opted not to comment on the matter.
Beriashvili also reported that employees of the Okulovsky District administration were informed about the possibility of allocating the raised funds for the purchase of military drones. However, the blogger later clarified that “there was confusion on the part of some official.” Representatives from the administration of the Shimsky District commented on the blog post, stating that they were not compelled to participate in the marathon.
The “Christmas Gift” marathon has been a tradition in the Novgorod region since 1993, collecting funds to assist sick children, impoverished families, disabled individuals, and orphans. In 2022, for the first time, the organizers directed the collected funds to support the families of those who actively participated in the war in Ukraine.
Similarly, officials in the Tambov region were requested to allocate a portion of their salaries for war-related needs. Governor Maksim Egorov urged employees to support the army, leading to subsequent reports from the mayor of Tambov and district heads confirming their contributions.
