Strike on Leventsovka, Criminal Cases, and a Mysterious Lion: Top Stories of January
January witnessed several distressing emergency incidents across the region.
As per tradition, we have compiled a review of the main stories from our editorial team that were published in January. Crime, economy, sports — read about all of it.
Residents in water-scarce areas maintain constant water reserves for daily needs.
A Rostov Woman in Slavery
Ruslan Pelivanov, a former inmate, seeks medical treatment after his release from prison.
A 35-year-old Rostov woman ended up on a farm in Kalmykia in November. She thought she would get work there, but ended up in slavery. There, according to her, she was raped. She was rescued by her husband and volunteers, but the story did not end there.
A lioness named Lada was discovered during the investigation into the rumor.
Criminal Cases
Law enforcement officers came to the chair of the committee on education, science, culture, and information policy of the Legislative Assembly of Rostov Oblast, Svetlana Manankina. A criminal case was initiated against her. According to a 161.RU source, a series of searches were conducted at Manankina«s place before the New Year.
And more. Former vice-governor Sergei Gorban became a suspect in a criminal case related to the construction of the Gukovo-Gundorovsky water pipeline. According to a 161.RU source in law enforcement, the ex-official is being sought for questioning and interrogation. He has not yet been officially declared wanted.
Gukovo Without Water
The editorial team visited the mining town of Gukovo, where the problem of water absence has escalated to the point that locals are simply melting snow — fortunately, the area was recently covered in snow. Water is swept off shelves in supermarkets and even ordered in bottles from marketplaces.
Attack on Leventsovka
On the morning of January 14, UAVs struck Leventsovka — hitting a high-rise building. A man died. His name was Sergei Govorkov, and he left behind a wife and son. A woman was hospitalized after the attack. We visited the scene of the tragedy.
What Infuriates?
In our regular column «Nakipelo» (Boiled Over) last month, a children«s coach, a shift worker, and a street cleaner spoke out.
Business and Economy
We talked about changes for business in 2026, and also about innovations in legislation that are relevant to everyone.
We«ve covered business, but what about personnel? Read here. And we also talked about the role — surprisingly — of Tarot and astrology in hiring. Why do employers rely on the irrational in searching for candidates?
This year, the Russian wine market expects price increases, and the Don region will compete more actively with other regions in terms of alcohol. The situation was commented on by Alexei Matveenko, brand ambassador of the Don wine estate «Tsimlyanskye Vina».
And what about restaurants? The New Year in Rostov began with the closure of several, and experts told whether to expect mass closures of cafes and bars.
Was There a Lion?
Besides communicating with experts and going to emergency scenes, we had to solve mysteries. A man reported on social media that a lion was locked in a trailer on Nagibina and was «moaning». No matter who we asked, no one knew about the animal. Then we went to the indicated place and it turned out that there was no lion there. But there is a lioness.
Sports
At the beginning of January, information emerged that a match for the Russian Super Cup could be held at «Rostov Arena» in the summer. Such a game already took place in Rostov when in 2013, CSKA and Zenit met at «Olimp». We recall which matches the Russian Football Union held in Rostov.
We told the story of Alexander Bukharov — one of the most talented Russian footballers of his generation. He was one of the key players of the champion «Rubin», but the move to «Zenit» derailed his career — gambling addiction, depression, alcohol problems. In «Rostov», the forward managed to find himself and even returned to the Russian national team.
Deaths in a Maternity Hospital
Over several days, nine infants died in a Novokuznetsk maternity hospital. Several more were in serious condition. The official cause — severe intrauterine infection in newborns. Former head physician of the Rostov Regional Perinatal Center, honored resuscitator-neonatologist Valery Bushtyrev commented on the loud scandal in Kemerovo Oblast.
A Wheelchair User in a Colony
In IK-15, a wheelchair user was sitting — nuclear engineer Ruslan Pelivanov. His femoral bones are shattered, and independent movement is out of the question. In January, he was granted parole, and now he intends to have surgery to regain his legs.
We met him at the colony gates.
House Flooded
A family from the Azov District has been suing the administration for a year — their house was flooded due to a flood two years ago and they are trying to get compensation for lost property. The family«s only home in the khutor of Rogozhkino is falling apart piece by piece each day. There is still no result from the courts.
Acquitted Man on Trial Again
In Rostov, a trial has begun anew in the case of former head of the Voroshilovsky District of Rostov, Viktor Berezhnoi. In April, he was acquitted. But at the end of 2025, the Fourth Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction in Krasnodar overturned the acquittal and returned the case to the court of first instance. The official is accused of negligence in connection with the collapse of the entrance of the house on Narimanova, 72/3. But the residents of the scandalous five-story building themselves sided with Berezhnoi.
By the way, on January 27, it marked two years since the day the entrance fell. We have compiled an overview of the latest events on this topic.
Series «The Heirs»
The son of ataman and State Duma deputy Viktor Vodolatsky did not remain in the shadow of his famous father. Dmitry Vodolatsky tried to become the head of Krasnodar, then went to the SMO (Special Military Operation), and after returned to work in his small homeland. We told about him.
