Blogger explains why he threw 5000 rubles on Mamayev Kurgan

Sports blogger Svyatoslav Kovalenko explained why he threw a 5,000-ruble note into the water near the “Stand to the Death” sculpture on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd. He said he simply wanted to make a wish, like other visitors to the memorial complex, and had no other banknote besides the 5,000 one.

Recall that a video caused a heated reaction online, showing Svyatoslav Kovalenko throwing a 5,000-ruble note into the water near the “Stand to the Death” sculpture on Mamayev Kurgan and then filming visitors trying to retrieve it. Eventually, one man managed to fish it out, though he got almost completely soaked.

Social media users wrote that such actions are blasphemous and utterly inappropriate at Mamayev Kurgan, and the video reached the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for Volgograd Oblast. Rules of conduct on the memorial grounds were also reiterated in the official messengers of the “Battle of Stalingrad” museum-reserve:

— The most important thing is to remember that Mamayev Kurgan is not just a world-famous landmark but a sacred place where tens of thousands of defenders of Stalingrad rest. While there, one must maintain public order and show respect for the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for peace and freedom.

A V1.RU correspondent managed to contact Svyatoslav Kovalenko, who explained that the video was recorded spontaneously and contained no malicious intent.

— On Mamayev Kurgan, cameras are placed all over, including near that pool. You can watch how I approached, searched for small change in my bag, didn«t find any, put down the 5,000-ruble note, stood with a friend for about three minutes, and went for a walk,” Svyatoslav explained in a conversation with the journalist. — I went up to the top, walked around for about an hour, and then, when we were heading back down, I said, “Let»s stop by and see whether the note is still there.” At that moment, it had already drawn attention. I thought: let«s step aside, film it, and see what happens. We stood for about five minutes, during which we shot the video, and then left. Initially, there wasn»t even an idea to record anything.

Moreover, as the blogger says, he did not intend to appear blasphemous, as he himself spent his childhood and youth in Volgograd.

— I come to Volgograd every year, always visit Mamayev Kurgan, and before this, I always threw coins. I am originally from Znamensk, Astrakhan Oblast, but closer to Volgograd, where we went throughout our childhood on errands, to the market, for walks. And in 2012, I rented an apartment on 7th Gvardeyskaya Street. So Volgograd is very closely tied to me. I have repeatedly seen children bathing in that pool, collecting small change, though I don«t know how permitted that is, and I understood that someone would fish out those 5,000 rubles. But even in the video, you can see only positivity and good mood. No bad words, no profanity; people came up, took photos, and smiled. There was no hint of any bad or offensive actions.