The governor of Russia’s borderland Belgorod region has suggested a ban on parking vehicles in areas subject to Ukrainian shelling, arguing that compensation payments for damaged cars have become a drag on his administration’s budget. On Monday, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov urged local officials to prevent residents from parking their vehicles overnight and uncovered in high-risk zones.
Gladkov said the region’s government has spent nearly 3 billion rubles ($28.9 million) on compensation for damaged cars. “We can’t afford to continue paying as required by law,” he warned.