The court canceled regional Emergencies Ministry’s claim against lawyer Evgeny Sokolov because of his complaint about the lack of information about bomb shelters. Sokolov complained about the rescuers because he was not provided with shelters’ addresses in Belgorod. In response, Emergencies Ministry wanted to charge 50 thousand rubles back from him for damage to reputation, but the court did not rule Sokolov's actions illegal. The Bel.Ru Media Outlet reported this.
On July 5, the Sverdlovsk Court of Belgorod canceled regional Emergencies Ministry’s claim against human rights advocate Evgeny Sokolov. The rescuers filed a lawsuit against the resident of Belgorod and wanted to charge 50 thousand rubles back from him for damage to reputation, because he complained to Emergencies Ministry’s units about the lack of information about bomb shelters in the city. The court decided that the resident of Belgorod had requested the information legitimately and had the right to express an opinion on Emergencies Ministry’s work.
Sokolov asked the Emergencies Ministry and the Mayor's Office to provide information about bomb shelters where residents could hide during shelling. But the agency wrote that there were enough shelters for workers during the war, and the rest of the residents would be able to hide in parking lots, basements, and underground walkways. In court, Sokolov explained that as a former military man, he understood that hiding in the basement would not save people from a shell explosion. In addition, basements in apartment buildings may be closed, and Emergencies Ministry does not warn citizens about missiles approaching the city.
The human rights advocate expected the court to "have a conscience" after an explosion in Belgorod and the lawsuit to be canceled. On July 3, the air defense shot down three Ukrainian missiles, but the wreckage of one of them fell on a separate house in the city center. Five people were killed and four injured due to the explosion.
Unlike Belgorod Oblast, the authorities of other regions began to inform residents about shelters and the protocol for air alerts. Residents of Kirov and a city in Bryansk Oblast were asked to provide basements for bomb shelters. The authorities of the shelled Kursk villages recommended residents to stock up on food and essential supplies in the basements. And in Bryansk, the mayor organized a competition for the best bomb shelter in the city.
