Wednesday, October 8th turned out to be rich in scandalous and memorable news. In Tatarstan, a new health minister was appointed, a deceived veteran passed away, and payments for large families were determined.

New Minister

In Tatarstan, the 4-month saga of appointing a new health minister for the republic has concluded. The position went to Almir Abashev, who had long served as first deputy head of the department. The appointment order has already been signed by the head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. Since July 6th, when Marsel Minnullin was dismissed, Abashev had been acting minister.

He became first deputy head of the department back in 2019. Abashev could have already become health minister of Tatarstan in early 2023, when Marat Sadykov passed away. At that time, Minnulin became head of the department, working in the position for just over two years. During this time, the former health minister became involved in several scandals.

In July of this year, it was reported that there were three candidates for the position of Tatarstan’s health minister. Besides Abashev, these were the heads of Kazan’s Kirovsky and Moskovsky districts Vladimir Zhavoronkov and the chief physician of the Republican Infectious Disease Hospital Marat Gataullin.

Veteran and Bankruptcy

In Chistopol, at the age of 101, World War II veteran Nakip Khairullin passed away. The farewell ceremony for the veteran took place on October 8th, and he died the day before. It turned out that the veteran was the biological brother of the grandfather of the head of Rybno-Slobodsky District of Tatarstan Radik Islyamov. Residents of Tatarstan massively expressed condolences to the relatives.

However, the last years of Khairullin’s life turned out to be stressful. He inherited multimillion-dollar debts from his son. Back in 2017, his son entered into an agency agreement with CJSC “Kolomensky Bakery and Confectionery Combine” to conclude a deal for purchasing land in central Moscow near the Tretyakov Gallery.

For this, the man received an advance payment of 45 million rubles. But the document processing dragged on, the combine demanded the money back, and Khairullin Jr. passed away. After lengthy court proceedings, his debts were transferred to his father. Over several years, the debt with penalties grew to 52 million rubles.

Money Instead of Land

Again in Tatarstan, the topic of payments to large families instead of land plots has been raised. At the end of September, it was reported that this payment would amount to 200 thousand rubles, which greatly displeased residents of Tatarstan. The State Council of the republic then stated that the amount was not specified in the documents adopted by the deputies.

Now a week has passed, and the government of Tatarstan has published a draft resolution. It states that authorities plan to pay 200 thousand rubles to large families in exchange for the land plots they are entitled to. This will only affect Kazan and Naberezhnye Chelny. The document is currently undergoing anti-corruption examination.

Preliminarily, the money will be paid once. Families will need to submit an application, refusing land in favor of the payment. However, they may be denied if there are valid reasons. And again, residents of Tatarstan were dissatisfied with the payment amount, because it’s not enough to buy a decent plot of land.

Tatarstan

Tatarstan is a republic in Russia with a rich history as the former Volga Bulgaria, later the Kazan Khanate, before being conquered by Russia in the 16th century. It is a unique cultural region where Islamic Tatar traditions and Orthodox Slavic influences have coexisted for centuries. The capital, Kazan, is famous for its Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that houses both a mosque and an Orthodox cathedral.

Kazan

Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan, Russia, and a historic city where European and Asian cultures merge. It is most famous for the Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses the Qolşärif Mosque, one of Russia’s largest mosques, and the Annunciation Cathedral, reflecting the city’s history under both the Kazan Khanate and the Russian Tsardom.

Chistopol

Chistopol is a historic city located on the banks of the Kama River in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Founded in the late 18th century, it became a significant merchant hub known for its trade fairs. The city is also notable for being the place where several prominent Russian cultural figures, including the poet Marina Tsvetaeva, were evacuated during World War II.

Rybno-Slobodsky District

The Rybno-Slobodsky District is a municipal district located in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Its history is deeply connected to the Volga River trade routes, with its name “Rybnoe” (from the Russian word for “fish”) indicating its historical significance as a fishing and trading settlement. Today, it is an agricultural and industrial region that reflects the diverse cultural heritage of Tatarstan.

Moscow

Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, with a history dating back over 800 years to its first recorded mention in 1147. It grew from a medieval fortress, the Kremlin, to become the political and economic heart of the Russian state. The city is renowned for its iconic landmarks, including Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and the historic Moscow Metro, which reflect its rich and turbulent history from the Tsardom through the Soviet era to the present day.

Tretyakov Gallery

The Tretyakov Gallery is a world-renowned art museum in Moscow, Russia, housing the foremost collection of Russian fine art. It was founded in 1856 by the merchant and philanthropist Pavel Tretyakov, who donated his extensive private collection to the city of Moscow in 1892. The gallery’s collection spans from ancient Russian religious icons, such as Andrei Rublev’s “Trinity,” to masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Naberezhnye Chelny

Naberezhnye Chelny is a major industrial city in Russia, located in the Republic of Tatarstan on the banks of the Kama River. It was historically a small town but underwent massive development in the 1970s to become a center for the Soviet automotive industry, home to the KAMAZ truck plant. This transformation established it as a key modern industrial hub.

Kirovsky district

The Kirovsky district is a common administrative division in many cities across Russia and other post-Soviet states, often named in honor of Sergey Kirov, a prominent Bolshevik leader. Historically, these districts were typically established during the Soviet era as industrial or residential zones. Today, they function as standard municipal areas, with their specific character varying greatly depending on the city they are located in.