TL;DR
Get movie-night favorites delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Independent outlets Agentstvo and Verstka reported that kindergartens in several Russian regions organized birthday greetings for Vladimir Putin and that officials received guidance on their posts. Agentstvo counted more than 1,100 posts with a campaign hashtag on VKontakte, while reporting by multiple outlets documented formulaic messages. The reports describe organized participation but do not establish how widely people were compelled to take part.
Kindergarten children in several Russian regions were enlisted in events congratulating Vladimir Putin on his 74th birthday on October 7, while officials received guidance on how to publish birthday messages, according to reporting by independent Russian outlets Agentstvo and Verstka. Their findings point to an organized campaign across public institutions, though the reports do not establish how many people were compelled to participate.
Agentstvo said it identified more than 20 posts describing birthday events at kindergartens. The posts showed teachers telling children about what was described as the “life journey of the head of state” and having them record congratulatory messages. In Anadyr, children reportedly congratulated Putin while kneeling on one knee. Children in Ulyanovsk thanked him for “peace” and “light,” while children in the village of Sokolovo in the Volgograd region made a poster reading, “We congratulate the president.”
Agentstvo also reported that officials were given instructions for the “I Congratulate the President” campaign ahead of October 7. Instructions posted by Vladimir-region official Yevgenia Khalilova said greetings should appear on officials’ personal social media pages; messages posted through public pages “will not be accepted.” Agentstvo counted at least 1,100 posts using the campaign hashtag on VKontakte.
In Bashkortostan, a guidance document reviewed by the Telegram outlet Ostorozhno Novosti reportedly set a deadline of 2 p.m. local time and required posts to include a quote from Putin about the region. Each institution was asked to publish one message, the outlet said. It counted at least 400 formulaic greetings in three hours. Verstka separately reported that more than 1,600 Telegram posts used the wording “robust health and boundless energy,” including messages from regional heads, State Duma deputies and other public figures.
Birthday Messages Across Public Institutions
The reporting offers a view of how political messaging can be coordinated through regional administrations and public institutions. Children’s events and social media greetings are not, by themselves, proof of a formal nationwide order. But the reported instructions, posting deadlines, and repeated wording suggest that some greetings were organized rather than entirely spontaneous.
The distinction matters because the reports describe participation by kindergartens and government-linked figures, where public messaging can carry institutional pressure. The outlets’ documented examples indicate a broad campaign, but do not establish whether every participant was required to take part or how the effort was directed nationally.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the Birthday Campaign Was Organized
Putin’s birthday falls on October 7. In the days before the date, officials and institutions used the “I Congratulate the President” campaign to publish greetings on social media. The instructions Khalilova posted specified which pages to use, while the Bashkortostan document described a deadline and required regional wording.
The reporting relies on publicly visible posts, documents reviewed by outlets, and counts of messages they found. Agentstvo and Verstka reported similar patterns of repeated phrasing, including greetings wishing Putin “robust health and boundless energy.” The reports do not provide a complete census of all birthday messages across Russia.
““will not be accepted””
— Instructions posted by Vladimir-region official Yevgenia Khalilova, as reported by Agentstvo
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What the Reports Do Not Establish
The reports document examples of organized events and detailed guidance, but they do not establish how many people were forced to participate, whether instructions came from a single national authority, or whether the campaign operated under a uniform order across Russia. The number of posts counted by the outlets reflects their searches and the platforms they examined, not necessarily every greeting published.
It is also unclear whether all children shown in the reported events took part under the same arrangements, or whether parents were informed or asked for consent. The available reporting does not describe the response of the Kremlin or provide a full account from the institutions involved.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Further Reporting on Regional Orders
The reported birthday campaign took place on October 7. Further clarity would depend on responses from regional authorities, kindergartens, and federal officials, including whether the guidance was formally issued and how institutions were expected to implement it. The outlets’ counts may also be revised if additional posts or documents emerge.
For now, the confirmed reporting is limited to the examples and materials identified by Agentstvo, Verstka, and Ostorozhno Novosti. No nationwide total of participating institutions or independent accounting of the reported pressure has been provided.
children's social media photo props
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Why were kindergarten children congratulating Putin?
Agentstvo reported that kindergartens in several regions held events and had children record greetings or make birthday materials. The outlet described more than 20 posts about such events.
Were officials given instructions for their posts?
According to Agentstvo, instructions posted by Vladimir-region official Yevgenia Khalilova said greetings should go on personal social media pages. A document reviewed by Ostorozhno Novosti reportedly set additional requirements for posts in Bashkortostan.
How many birthday posts were counted?
Agentstvo counted at least 1,100 posts with the campaign hashtag on VKontakte. It also reported that Ostorozhno Novosti counted at least 400 formulaic posts from Bashkortostan within three hours. These are outlet counts, not a complete nationwide total.
Is it confirmed that everyone was forced to participate?
No. The reporting describes organized events and detailed instructions, but does not establish the extent of coercion or show that every official, institution, or child was required to participate.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
