1/ Vladimir Putin's patriotic concert and rally at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium today was an impressive event on camera. But off camera, it's reported to have been poorly attended. The audience brought many Soviet patriotic symbols, rather than Putinist ones. ⬇️ 
2/ A correspondent for the independent Russian news outlet 'We can explain' attended the rally and summarises: "Entire sectors are empty at Putin's concert in Luzhniki. People could not be lured in with money or exemptions from work and study. Z-symbols replaced by Soviet flags."
3/ The stadium was not even half full by 45 minutes before the start of the event. The organisers planned to close the stadium doors to block anyone leaving, to avoid a repeat of the incident last year at a rally to mark Crimea's annexation when people left before Putin's speech.
4/ The stadium is also completely unheated and is very cold, with temperatures well below freezing point. People tried to warm themselves up with blankets, hot tea and sausage rolls, but were hindered by prohibitions enforced by volunteer stewards.
5/ The audience was reported to be displaying many Russian and Soviet patriotic symbols, incuding tricolors, St Andrew's Crosses and Soviet flags. There were also flags of Soviet rifle divisions with the slogan "Death to the German invaders" on the stage. No Z-symbols were seen.
6/ Local government employees who went to the rally who were said they were "forced" to come under threat of dismissal. Others said they had come for food, money and for a break from their from their studies. Reportedly, some were being paid 500 rubles ($6.67) each to attend.
7/ Despite the stewards' efforts, a stream of people managed to leave the stadium before Putin's big speech. SOTA reports that students who had been forced to attend got back to their dormitories before Putin had even begun speaking.
8/ Other participants complained of the cold as the reason they were leaving, as one explained on video to a SOTA correspondent:
– Why are you leaving?
– It's cold!
– What about our boys in the trenches?
– Well, that's destiny...
– Why are you leaving?
– It's cold!
– What about our boys in the trenches?
– Well, that's destiny...
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
