School graduates gathered in the city's central square, despite Chita being shrouded in smoke from forest fires.

"It's smoky in the square today—it's hard to breathe. But the last call can't be cancelled," wrote the publication Chita.ru. According to Avialesookhrana, nearly 800,000 hectares are burning in the region, and the fires have expanded in the past 24 hours.

People revolted: "How could they send children into such a 'gas chamber'? How much longer can this be tolerated?", "Shame on the authorities for allowing such air quality! Actions speak louder than calls for graduates not to leave Transbaikalia!", "Smoked Transbaikal graduates."

City administration officials stated in comments that canceling the planned celebration was "inappropriate" and advised wearing special masks or wet gauze bandages when outside (no graduates were seen wearing masks in the video).

Officials dedicated the last bell to "celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory." "On the main square of Transbaikalia, nearly two thousand eleventh-graders from Chita performed the traditional school waltz," wrote Governor Alexander OsipovMeanwhile, children danced in the smoke to the "May Waltz"—a Soviet song about the Great Patriotic War.

"Is this really the song for a school waltz? How does it compare to the class of 2025?" "I'd pass out dancing in that smoke," write citizens. 

And the mayor of Chita Inna Scheglova https://t.me/chitaru75/89090graduates with the words that “school in your life, unfortunately, will never end,” as “life lessons” await them ahead.

"God grant that many will be admitted to prestigious universities in our country and leave this oppressive, depressing hole forever," Chita residents wished on social media.