Prosecutor's Office Cancels Volgograd Snow Cannon Case

A local prosecutor's office has overturned a criminal case into noise from snow cannons, which was originally initiated on the personal order of Russia's top investigator, Alexander Bastrykin, following residents' complaints.

Mar 1, 2026

Noise from snow cannons at a winter recreation center prompted repeated complaints from nearby residents.
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The prosecutor«s office of the Kirovsky district in the Volgograd region canceled the ruling to initiate a criminal case concerning noise from snow cannons at a winter recreation center. These installations were disturbing residents of the »Coliseum« residential complex and the Gornaya Polyana settlement. Notably, the head of Russia»s Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, had personally ordered the case to be opened.

Residents of these areas had repeatedly complained about the constant hum coming from the tubing (sledding) slope. Work at the slope was temporarily halted after an incident involving injured children, but the noise soon resumed. As a result, the townspeople made a collective request to Alexander Bastrykin, after which he gave the order to initiate a criminal case.

According to open sources, the winter recreation center is owned by the limited liability company «Aquatoria», registered in 2021 with an authorized capital of 10,000 rubles (approximately $111 at current exchange rates). The sole founder of the company is Elena Karpenko. She is also the founder of six other legal entities, in several of which co-owners include representatives of the family of well-known Volgograd developers, the Nazarovs.

In response to an inquiry about the situation, the Investigative Committee«s regional department for Volgograd reported that on 18 January, a criminal case had been initiated under Part 1 of Article 238 of the Russian Criminal Code (providing services that do not meet safety requirements). According to the agency, the land plot was leased for the »Sanatorny« recreation park, and since 27 December, a Winter Recreation Park with a tubing track has been operating there. Snow cannons were used to ensure the slope»s operation from December 2025 to January 2026.

As part of the investigation, the following actions were taken:

inspection of the scene with noise level measurements;
interrogation of the general director of the tenant organization;
seizure of documents;
interrogation of residents of the Gornaya Polyana settlement;
commissioning of an engineering and technical forensic examination;
other investigative actions to establish the circumstances.

The Investigative Committee also informed the Kirovsky district prosecutor«s office of the need for an inspection. However, on 20 January 2026, the supervising prosecutor canceled the ruling to initiate the criminal case. The Investigative Committee stated it had initiated a procedure to appeal this decision.

In response to an inquiry about the reasons for canceling the case, the Volgograd regional prosecutor«s office gave an evasive answer. The agency stated: »The prosecutor«s offices of the Russian Federation are not authorized to make such a procedural decision.»

Local residents confirmed that on 29 January, the snow cannons were working again and creating noise. Since the weather forecast promises warmer temperatures, there is a possibility the equipment will be turned on during the night leading into Saturday.