World War II veterans from Samara and Voronezh Oblasts received expired products as gifts, according to a report by 63.ru on May 12.
The Samara Oblast authorities congratulated 98-year-old veteran Nikolai Kondrashov on Victory Day and presented him with a grocery set containing cheese, canned food, marshmallows, condensed milk, and butter. However, the cheese turned out to be expired by two weeks.
Nikolai Kondrashov’s granddaughter told 63.ru that the veteran lives in the countryside, which is why the gift set was handed to his relatives. They decided not to inform Kondrashov of the incident and removed the expired cheese from the box. Samara City Hall promised to deal with the supplier.
The families of two veterans from Novovoronezh also complained about rotten meat in their grocery sets. They stated that the gifts contained the cheapest sausage and cheese. Officials declined to disclose the supplier's name.
During the Victory Day parade in Tomsk on May 9, 2024, the vice mayor forbade the handing of a bottle of water to 98-year-old veteran Fedor Bondarenko. Subsequently, attendees had to call an ambulance as the veteran suffered from dehydration and high blood pressure. Officials claim that Bondarenko had water available and accuse the veteran's assistant of manipulation. The Investigative Committee has already initiated an investigation.