Festive ice troopers not universally popular in Russia’s far east

CHITA, Russia (Reuters) – Ice sculptures of modern-day Russian soldiers carved for a festive New Year display for families in the main square of the Siberian city of Chita are not going down well with some of the locals.

The ice soldiers, carrying automatic rifles and alluding unmistakably to Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, stand guard near the centrepiece of Chita’s New Year festivities – a towering decorated fir tree and an array of enormous ice-slides, still under construction.

Not everyone thinks military symbols should be part of the year’s biggest family celebration, when children hope for presents from Grandfather Frost.

“They haven’t finished yet, so we need to see the final result. But it looks all right. We’re at war, after all,” said Yelena, a passer-by who, like others, declined to give her surname.

But, asked if the display was appropriate for children, she said: “I have a child myself. We discuss this [the conflict] a lot. The situation is really frightening in the country. I can’t answer that question.”

Valentin did have an answer, however:

“It’s a holiday for children, but look what they’ve done!” he said. “OK – let’s put actual soldiers there. Let’s hang toy tanks and actual grenades on the tree. Let’s go all the way then … There should be foxes, Grandfather Frost, kids’ stuff – you know, pets and animals.”

Natalia, wrapped in furs in a city where the temperature hovers near -30 Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) for three months of the year, was more relaxed.

“New Year is a family holiday, not just a children’s holiday,” she said. “Children see everything, understand everything. And I think their attitude towards these figures will be the right one.”

For Gennadiy, the display was somewhat uncomfortable.

He said his wife’s brothers had been drafted to fight in Ukraine, and that he could be next. He saw the ice soldiers as “a reminder and a way to pay respect. We want them home alive and hopefully healthy”.

“I’d rather we didn’t try solve our problems through war,” he added. “There’s always a chance to compromise. Everything can be resolved. There’s nothing worse than war.”

(Writing by Kevin Liffey; Editing by Nick Macfie)