Krasnodar City Hall ignored the opinions of those opposed to the embankment development.

99% of public discussion participants opposed religious ceremonies on the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment in Krasnodar. However, the commission deemed the opinion of those opposed to the church's construction irrelevant and recommended that the mayor grant permission for religious services to be held on the embankment.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on January 16, despite protests from residents, the mayor of Krasnodar approved a plan for the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment in the Yubileiny microdistrict, where a church is planned to be built. On January 29, Krasnodar City Duma deputies approved a decision to seize part of the public garden for the construction of a church. A month earlier, on December 15, 2025, residents of Krasnodar's Yubileyny microdistrict, protesting against embankment development, recorded a video message to Vladimir Putin, but their concerns were not addressed during the president's direct line. On January 26 and 29, pickets were held in defense of the embankment and demanding the resignation of city mayor Yevgeny Naumov.

The Krasnodar City Hall published the results of public discussions on whether to allow religious ceremonies on two sections of the YMR embankment. The published conclusions, dated March 13, 2026, for the two sections show that 99 percent of participants in the public discussions opposed the religious use of the embankment – ​​843 for the first section and 791 for the second.

Only 1 percent of discussion participants spoke in favor of building a church: 10 people for the first section (entries 214, 221, 442, 487, 563, 580, 623, 749, 748, 781) and 8 people for the second section (entries 221, 423, 426, 502, 540, 549, 685, 755), according to the Krasnodar YUMR Telegram channel.

At the same time, the commission, consisting of officials and deputies, decided that it was inappropriate to take into account the comments of those discussion participants who spoke out against holding religious ceremonies on the embankment. The commission wrote to those who expressed support for building the church that their proposals had been taken into account. And ultimately, the decision was made to recommend to Krasnodar Mayor Naumov that permission be granted to conduct religious activities on the embankment, the publication states.

The public discussions on the rezoning of two sites on the YMR embankment for "religious activities" took place from March 6 to 12 in person. Residents could record their objections in a journal or submit a written objection. They could also send an objection by email, attaching their personal information. Voting online was only possible on March 12, writes Krasnodar City Duma deputy Alexander Safronov.

Only one day, March 12, was allocated for online voting on this issue with verification through Gosuslugi for residents of Krasnodar, a city of two million, 93.ru reported.

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

In September 2024, residents of the Yubileiny microdistrict of Krasnodar protested against the development of Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment, where, according to the city's new general plan, a church was planned. They explained that this was the only major 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, city council deputies adopted a new general plan despite protests from residents.

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

Back in December 2021, activists protested against the construction of a new church on the embankment in Krasnodar, and residents of the Yubileiny neighborhood also protested. Embankment defenders believe it is necessary to build educational and leisure facilities for children in the neighborhood. 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.