Accessibility links

Breaking News

Bomb Blast Rips Up Facade of Pension Fund Office In Russian City


Workers repair damage at the site of a blast outside the national Pension Fund office in Kaluga on August 3.
Workers repair damage at the site of a blast outside the national Pension Fund office in Kaluga on August 3.

A bomb blast has badly damaged the front facade of a state Pension Fund office in the Russian city of Kaluga, local media reports say.

The apparent attack came amid public anger and frequent street protests over the government's plan to raise the retirement age.

Media outlets cited unidentified law enforcement officials in the city 150 kilometers southwest of Moscow as saying on August 3 that the door was blown up overnight.

Footage from local station NIKA TV showed the damaged front door and exterior wall, with panes blown out, and chunks of tile around at the entrance.

Nobody was hurt in the explosion.

Reports said the Pension Fund office was operating normally on August 3, with access provided through a side door.

Government-backed legislation that passed in the first of four parliamentary votes on July 19 would raise the retirement age to 63 for women by 2034 and to 65 for men by 2028.

Currently, the retirement age is 55 for women and 60 for men.

The plan sparked widespread anger after it was announced last month, and President Vladimir Putin's approval ratings have fallen.

Tens of thousands of people protested in cities across the country on July 28, and many other demonstrations have been held.

More than 2.9 million people have signed a petition against the reform on change.org.

Based on reporting by NIKA TV, Kommersant, Kaluzhskiye Novosti, and Novaya Gazeta
  • 16x9 Image

    RFE/RL

    RFE/RL journalists report the news in 27 languages in 23 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. We provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG