In the Moscow region, opponents of construction in the Tomilino Forest who were blocking the passage of machinery have been detained.

In the Moscow region, defenders of the Tomilino Forest, which the authorities had promised to “improve,” have been detained. The detainees themselves reported this to OVD-Info.

Among the detained activists are Marta Dorofeeva, Elena Zavyalova, and Nikolai Kominsky. They have been taken to the Tomilino police station in Lyubertsy, a city near Moscow. According to Dorofeeva, the police plan to release them after taking a written statement.

Before their detention, the activists blocked a concrete mixer truck from entering the forest. The activists explained that the improvement project for the forest does not include any use of concrete, so bringing in a concrete mixer is a gross violation.

In autumn 2024, after the administrative merger of Lyubertsy and Dzerzhinsky, local authorities announced plans to “improve” part of the Tomilino Forest. Residents oppose these works, fearing harm to the local environment.

“This so-called improvement is clearly a cover for construction, because on the other side, the nearby village of Tokarevo is already part of the Lyubertsy District. There is a field behind the forest that the authorities have ordered to be built on. Some of the land belongs to a major construction company. We have all the documents and official responses. We see what this is leading to,” MSK1 quoted one of the local residents as saying.

21:55 All detainees have been released after giving written statements, Marta Dorofeeva told OVD-Info.

She also said that the activists had called the police themselves when they saw concrete being poured. However, instead of stopping the work, the police detained the activists.