The Rostov Region Governor suggested residents celebrate Don River Day. Residents weren't impressed.

"Today, the Rostov Region celebrates Don River Day. Our Cossack ancestors affectionately called the Don "Father, Orthodox Don Ivanovich." Our task is to care for the region's main river and preserve it for future generations. That's why we initiated the adoption of a corresponding program at the federal level several years ago and are implementing it. That's why we established Don River Day.", - such a post posted The governor posted on his Telegram channel a few days ago Rostov region Vasily Golubev.

The response from subscribers wasn't quite what the regional governor was likely hoping for. Rostov residents write that the Don River is polluted and drying up, while the smaller rivers in its basin—the Temernik, the Seversky Donets, and the Bystraya—are in even worse condition:

"An interesting program, but nothing has been heard about its progress."

"Poor Don, my dear, they've ruined the river, completely littered it. It's scary to enter: the water is filthy, stinking, there's no proper beach, a travesty, not a beach, only shawarma joints thrive. Soon there will be nothing left of the Don. We'll show our grandchildren the dried-up riverbed and tell them what a beautiful, fish-rich river it once was."

"Rivers need to be cleaned every year, including the Don, and the coastal areas too. The banks have already been bought up; everything belongs to someone. Inventing a day is great, but I hope the river doesn't get cleaned up in just one day."

"Kumzhensky Memorial, all that's left of the Don is the name. We used to swim there as kids, it was a beach. Now it's impossible to look at it without tears."

"Mr. Governor, please don't ruin the ecosystem of the Don River by building on its floodplain in the left-bank part of Rostov-on-Don. Let pheasants, herons, hares, and other wildlife live in the floodplain, not people in anthills."

The post has already garnered 170 responses, and comments continue to come in.