"All the light went to illuminate Minsk Arena." What Belarusians are saying about the darkness on city streets and roads
Belarusians on social networks actively reacted to how Belarusian cities plunged into darkness on the evening of February 4. People are sharing their observations, dissatisfaction, and ironic jokes.
Photo: social networks
"Damn, where's the light in the city? It's a nightmare, nothing is visible, there will be so many accidents... Darkness, how are children and the elderly supposed to walk..." — writes a resident of Minsk.
"I'm not just shocked, I'm horrified. 6:00 PM, Independence Avenue, it's really dark on the street, no lighting. They turned it on at 7:00 PM. Nobody gives a damn about safety. What's next? Are we in the Stone Age or something?" — another one complains.
"I'm driving through the city, it's dark like in a forest. It's dark in the courtyards. To get into the entrance, you need to shine a flashlight on the intercom buttons. [...] What's the point of such savings? Treating people after road accidents, hit pedestrians, injuries from falling in dark courtyards might be more expensive, isn't it?" — another user asks rhetorically.
"6:49 PM on the streets of Minsk, complete darkness. The decree is in effect. I went to the window and was surprised. The city is not visible, cars are moving in the darkness. [...] Now I'm wondering how to cross the road during such unlit periods, how cars are supposed to cross major intersections? This is exactly rush hour and people are returning home (the same story will be for work, apparently). Can't they at least leave the intersections lit!", — a resident of Minsk wonders, looking out her window.
"Perhaps we all need to buy headlamps and carry salt and sand in a bag with us, just in case. There are sidewalks that were well-cleaned down to the ice, but it seems they didn't get around to sprinkling them, and the tractor didn't make it.
It's dark, absolute darkness at 6:40 PM, and in places a "pleasant" black ice. It's easy for an adult to fall. I won't even mention the elderly, children, and wheelchair users. The weather and our utility services have simply "locked them up" at home," — another user complains.
Many Belarusians note that driving has become very difficult in the dark:
"Navigating an unregulated pedestrian crossing is a quest. It's completely invisible due to the glare of oncoming headlights. Perhaps everyone needs to stop, get out of the car, and check if there's a pedestrian."
"I was driving on the avenue at that time. It's, of course, a nightmare. Rush hour. Everyone is like blind kittens. And in the residential area, it's a complete disaster. Is there anyone on the pedestrian crossing, or not... And how do children who study in the second shift go home from school at this time... Darkness, you can't see manholes, potholes, or ditches... No one thought about them, it's a pity..."
"In my opinion, this is some kind of fucked up mess! On the Minsk Ring Road, everyone is braking and afraid to change lanes!"
"Well, turning off the lights in Minsk so that courtyards are dark and there's no light on the roads either — that's a terrible idea. Welcome road accidents, welcome people falling on the ice, welcome thefts and violence," — another resident of Minsk predicts.
Independence Avenue in Minsk. Photo from social networks
"— Why aren't the streetlights on in Minsk?
— All the light went to illuminate Minsk Arena," — they joke in the comments.
"I give a standing ovation to this brilliant decision to turn on street lighting after 7 PM. Everyone is driving home in absolute darkness, which is cut through by the blinding light of headlights. A pedestrian can only be distinguished as a silhouette against the snow. Lighting level standards went out the window.
But for some reason, the facade lighting is turned on as usual. We need to sort this out urgently!", — a TikToker ironizes.
Mulyavin Boulevard in Minsk. Photo from social networks
Minsk and other cities plunged into darkness the day after Alexander Lukashenko's remark. During a meeting on the development of the Vitebsk region, he scolded officials for mismanagement: he was outraged that streetlights "turn on too early" and that "unjustifiably large amounts of money" are spent on street lighting.
Lukashenko instructed to turn on streetlights no earlier than 7-8 PM and turn them off no later than 7 AM. As we can see, the energy services reacted instantly.
And while Belarusians are indignant, state propagandists have already begun to justify the innovation.
"Now we don't have Las Vegas, now it's normal and good. More soulfulness now, more righteousness. Ultimately, in the evening at home, you should be making love," — Hryhor Azaronak mocks people in a well-lit studio.