Residents of Krasnodar have announced a petition drive to Patriarch Kirill.

Krasnodar activists have announced a signature drive for a petition to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', who, according to unofficial reports, will lay the foundation stone for a cathedral on Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment on April 25. They are asking the Patriarch to reconsider the decision to build the church.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on January 16, despite protests from residents, the mayor of Krasnodar approved a plan for Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment in the Yubileiny microdistrict, where a church is planned. On January 29, Krasnodar City Duma deputies approved a decision to seize part of a public garden for the construction of a church. On March 19, 99% of participants in the public discussion spoke out against religious ceremonies on the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment in Krasnodar. However, the commission deemed the opinion of those opposed to the church construction irrelevant and recommended that the mayor grant permission for religious services on the embankment. The results of the public discussion are advisory in nature; the commission simply ignored the opinions of residents. Activists repeatedly held pickets, including one demanding the resignation of the mayor. The last picket against the construction of the church took place on April 10.

A signature drive for Patriarch Kirill has been announced in the Yubileiny microdistrict of Krasnodar

Today, signature drives are planned from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Moscow time near the Five Stars shopping center and on the embankment next to the Chapel. On April 25 at approximately 11:00 a.m., Patriarch Kirill is expected on the embankment of the Yubileiny Microdistrict (YuMR), activists write on the "Krasnodar YMR" Telegram channel.

"The idea of ​​building a new church complex on the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment of the Yubileiny Microdistrict (YuMR) has caused serious social conflict, which contradicts the very spirit of Christian teaching, has become a source of crisis for local and regional government, and has undermined its authority," the activists write in the text of the appeal.

"The authorities are ignoring the opinions of the city's residents and violating our constitutional rights. This year alone, authorities have denied residents of the YMR permission to hold rallies against the development more than two hundred times; people are forced to hold solitary pickets. Residents want only one thing: for the authorities to leave the embankment of the Yubileiny Microdistrict alone. We want 2.6 hectares of green space illegally converted to OD-4 (religious use zone) to be returned to the Alley of the 80th Anniversary of the Krasnodar Territory. We want 0.72 hectares of the embankment, which was landscaped with federal funds, to be prevented from being built on with a new church. It's right next to an existing church—the Chapel of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki. Our embankment is essentially the only space for special events and pensioner dances. It's a place for sports and recreation. Families with children stroll here, seniors stroll, relax, and socialize, and yoga and gymnastics classes are held here. "The urban development standards for providing green spaces on our densely built-up sandy peninsula of the Southern Moscow Region have already been violated more than tenfold," the activists emphasized.

"Residents of the Yubileyny microdistrict have already sent a collective appeal to Metropolitan Vasily of Yekaterinodar and Kuban, enclosing thousands of signatures and photographs of the alley they want to develop. They requested an audience at any time so that he could at least hear our opinions." "To our deep regret, there has been no response from the diocese, and the residents have received no response in any form," the statement reads.

They asked Patriarch Kirill to intervene in the situation. "Your Holiness, we hope for your wise pastoral decision, the restoration of justice, and assistance to the residents of the Yubileiny microdistrict," the text reads.

According to messages in church chats, on April 25, Patriarch Kirill will lay the foundation stone for the construction of a cathedral in the Yubileiny microdistrict, and on April 26, he will consecrate the Church of the Nativity of Christ in the village of Dinskaya, 93.ru reports.

Another picket against embankment development took place on April 22

A solitary picket for the resignation of Governor Veniamin Kondratyev took place in Krasnodar, reports RusNews.

Krasnodar activist Ildar went to the regional Legislative Assembly with a poster: "The governor must resign! Conscience for officials! A green alley for the residents of the Southern Moscow Region!"

According to the Krasnodar resident, it is the regional governor who is responsible for "what happens in the region."

"Considering the fact that arrests are regularly made within the governor's team, it feels like corrupt officials have merged with commercial structures," Ildar said.

The activist stated that with his picket he wanted to express "the opinion of the majority of residents of the Southern Moscow Region," who are against the development of the alley.

"They are planning to build a church there, very close to the houses, twice as tall as them. <…> The majority of residents are against the new church. But the government doesn't want to hear the people's opinions," he was quoted as saying in a publication from 22 April.

Residents of Yubileyny have been fighting against the development of the embankment for several years.

As a reminder, on December 15, 2025, residents of the Yubileyny microdistrict of Krasnodar, protesting against the development of the embankment, recorded a video message to Vladimir Putin, but their issue was not voiced during the president's direct line.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in November, opponents of the construction of the church in Yubileyny, together with representatives of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, began collecting signatures demanding the resignation of Mayor Yevgeny Naumov.

In September 2024, residents of the Yubileiny microdistrict of Krasnodar protested against the development of Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment, where, according to the new city general plan, a church was planned. They explained that this was the only large recreation area in the microdistrict. Activists collected signatures for a petition to Governor Veniamin Kondratyev against the development of Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment. more than 3,000 signatures were collected. Activist Vitaly Cherkasov and City Duma deputy Alexander Safronov were detained while collecting signatures and fined by the court. However, in November, the City Duma deputies adopted a new general plan despite residents' protests.

Residents of the microdistrict actively protested against the development of the embankment, explaining that this is the only large recreation area in the microdistrict. However, in November 2024, city Duma deputies adopted a new general plan despite their protests.

Back in December 2021, activists spoke out against the construction of a new church on the embankment in Krasnodar, and residents of the Yubileiny microdistrict also protested against it. Embankment defenders believe it is necessary to build educational and leisure facilities for children in the microdistrict. In January 2022, activist Yana Antonova held a solo picket against the transfer of a plot of land to the Russian Orthodox Church. embankment for the construction of the temple.