A complaint about housing by orphans from Petrov Val resulted in a criminal case.

Orphans from Petrov Val recorded a video message complaining about the substandard housing provided to them by the authorities. Investigators have opened a criminal case under the article on negligence.

The video message from the orphans from Petrov Val was published on November 17 on the regional public organization "Association for the Protection of Orphans' Rights" on its VKontakte page. "This group was created by individuals from among the orphans for the purpose of social and legal support for orphans," the description on the community page reads. It also notes that the group was created in December 2013; as of 8:30 AM Moscow time on November 18, the community had 2,300 subscribers.

The video message shows five adult men and women and three preschool-aged children. One of the women reads an appeal to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrykin, from a piece of paper on behalf of those gathered.

"We are children left without parental care, residents of buildings 2 and 2a on Aviatsionnaya Street in the city of Petrov Val, Volgograd Region. We are asking for your assistance and support due to the substandard housing we were provided with at the end of 2022," the authors of the appeal stated.

Cracks are everywhere, and the condition of the walls raises serious concerns.

The buildings "began to crumble" from the moment they moved in, they noted. "There are cracks everywhere, and the condition of the walls is seriously concerning. There are no roads, only clay, which creates enormous problems for movement, especially for children. We were promised a playground and roads would be built in 2022, but unfortunately, this has not happened. Our children have nowhere to play, and we are worried about their health. Furthermore, we are facing inflated utility bills," the appeal states.

According to residents, the apartments "have mold and high humidity," which "negatively impacts the children's health." "We are reaching out to you with the hope of your support and a solution to our problems," the authors of the video message stated.

Investigators responded to the appeal

On the evening of November 17, the "Association for the Protection of the Rights of Orphans" updated its publication with a message stating that, according to residents, "investigators had already visited them today."

On the same day, the Investigative Committee reported on its investigation of a "criminal case regarding the violation of citizens' rights in the Volgograd Region."

A criminal case has been opened under Part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (negligence)

"An appeal to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia from children left without parental care was published in the media, with complaints about the provision of substandard housing, inflated utility rates, and the lack of infrastructure in the city of Petrov Val. Based on the published materials, investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Volgograd Region have opened a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (negligence)," the agency's Telegram channel stated.

Bastrykin instructed the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Volgograd Region "to report on the progress of the criminal investigation, on the arguments in the appeal, and on the measures being taken to restore citizens' rights," the statement noted.

The regional Investigative Committee of Russia reposted this publication on its Telegram channel without supplementing it with another one. information.

Orphans from the Volgograd region have repeatedly complained about housing problems.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that officials in Volgograd gave orphan Mikhail Ponomarev the apartment he was legally entitled to, but it turned out to be unfit for habitation. In July 2024, following Ponomarev's complaint, Alexander Bystrykin ordered an investigation.

In April 2023, Volgograd region resident Natalya Rukavishnikova complained that officials had allocated her an apartment with mold and a leaking ceiling. The Association for the Protection of Orphans' Rights appealed to the Investigative Committee with a request to investigate violations of Rukavishnikova's housing rights.

Volgograd orphans have also repeatedly complained of housing denials. For example, in December 2024, Volgograd resident Elena Mikhailova, who was raised in boarding schools in Dagestan and Volgograd, complained that officials were not providing her with the housing she was legally entitled to.

Earlier, on August 9, 2024, another orphan from Volgograd, Daria Kulbachnaya, also complained that officials were refusing to provide her with the housing she was legally entitled to, citing a long waiting list and offering temporary options. Lawyers noted that the authorities violated the rights of the orphan.