Sverdlovsk Lawmaker Calls for Halloween Pumpkin Purge

Oct. 28, 2026 Dmitry Belitsky / Moskva News Agency A lawmaker in the Sverdlovsk region is calling on young Russians to hurl pumpkins into a local river, framing the act as a sucker punch against Halloween and the creeping reach of Western culture. Vyacheslav Vegner, a representative from the ruling United Russia party, said he planned to lobby fellow lawmakers to help fund a campaign that would reward pumpkin throwers with free theater tickets ahead of the Oct. 31 holiday. “If our young people are running around with these pumpkins, why not offer them a simple alternative: toss the pumpkin into the Iset River,” Vegner told local media on Monday. “In return, we’ll give them a theater ticket.” “This is a culture imported from the outside,” he added in an interview. “These spooky images, devils and pumpkins — none of this represents our culture. We have plenty of our own good, beautiful holidays that align with our cultural code.” Some environmental experts criticized the proposal, with a former official from the neighboring Chelyabinsk region saying large quantities of organic waste could trigger widespread decay, depleting oxygen levels and degrading the water quality in the Iset River. “It would be much better to bring these pumpkins to a zoo or wild animal rescue centers,” said Vitaly Bezrukov, the Chelyabinsk region’s former environmental minister and current head of an environmental consultancy firm. Russian politicians at the national level have echoed Vegner’s anti-Halloween sentiments in recent days, with State Duma lawmaker Vitaly Milonov calling the holiday “propaganda of everyday superstition and ignorant occultism.” Instead, Milonov said Russia should promote its own traditional holidays like Maslenitsa and Orthodox Easter as forms of “soft power.” Despite calls in Russia each year to ban Halloween or provide more “patriotic” alternatives, parties connected to the holiday and other themed events remain popular among young Russians in major cities, though it is still not widely celebrated across the country. Read more about: Holidays , Sverdlovsk , Regions Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Rare Tornado Hits City in Russia’s Ural Mountains Dozens of homes were completely leveled and at least 16 people were injured, local officials said. 1 Min read Putin Appoints New Governors for Sverdlovsk, Orenburg Regions Both regions are among 20 Russian regions and the annexed Crimean city of Sevastopol that will hold gubernatorial elections in September. 1 Min read At Least 6 Yekaterinburg Law Enforcement Officials Arrested on Various Charges – Reports It was not immediately clear if the cases were connected, or if they represented a wider crackdown in the region’s security services. 2 Min read Feature Russia Unprepared for 'Alarming' 2024 Wildfire Season, Experts Warn Unsettling climate forecasts, human neglect, lack of resources and “zombie” fires risk turning Russia’s annual wildfire season into a crisis. 5 Min read