Kondratyev explained the decision to build a church in Krasnodar by the requests of SVO soldiers.

Participants in the military operation in Ukraine have requested the construction of a church in their honor. It will be built on the embankment of the Yubileiny microdistrict, the governor of Krasnodar Krai stated, noting that he is aware of the discontent of the neighborhood's residents.

As reported by "Kavkazsky Uzel," on November 23, Krasnodar residents called on Mayor Yevgeny Naumov to attend a meeting with residents of the Yubileiny microdistrict who oppose development on the embankment. For three days, city officials have not responded to the video message. Before the direct line with the governor, residents of Yubileyny recorded a video message in which they recalled that the third church in the Yubileyny microdistrict of Krasnodar is planned to be built in a local recreation area.

During a live Q&A with Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, the Kuban 24 host announced that the day before, it had been announced that a 50-meter church in honor of the SVO servicemen would be built in the Yubileiny microdistrict, noting that "the decision has already been made."

"Of course, the decision has been made, absolutely. We couldn't help but respond to the appeal of the SVO soldiers. They should have their own church, and why can't they have one?" "The Virgin Mary is associated with the protector of the Russian land, and that's the kind of church we decided to build," Kondratyev said in a video. A fragment of the governor's speech was published, among other things, on Krasnodar City Duma deputy Alexander Safronov's Telegram channel. He said he certainly knew that local residents "disagree with something," but he stated that when he took over as governor, the site on Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment where the church was planned was allocated for high-rise construction, and the building permit "had already been received," meaning that instead of the planned church, high-rise buildings could have stood there like "the teeth of a comb." Kondratyev added, "There's a stylobate there, and a 500-seat hall there. We will build. We will build. This is a spiritual center for our defenders; it's not just a church."

"Why was the decision made contrary to the opinion of the residents, as demonstrated by the recent public hearings? Residents support the construction of a beautiful church, but not on the YMR embankment. Why is it necessary to build THERE, destroying the embankment and green space, contrary to the opinion of the residents?" Safronov commented on the governor's words.

As a reminder, in September 2024, activists in the Yubileiny microdistrict collected signatures for a petition to the governor against the development of the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment. More than 3,000 signatures were collected. Activist Vitaly Cherkasov and City Duma deputy Alexander Safronov were detained during the signature collection and fined by the court.

Residents of the microdistrict actively protested the development of the embankment, explaining that it was the only major recreational area in the microdistrict. However, in November 2024, city council deputies adopted a new general plan despite their protests.

Back in December 2021, activists protested the construction of a new church on the embankment in Krasnodar, and residents of the Yubileiny microdistrict also protested. Embankment advocates 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 land on the embankment to the Russian Orthodox Church for the construction of a church.