Residents of Novosibirsk have posted videos showing workers relaying asphalt, repairing sidewalks and building facades, laying turf and pruning trees across the city center. One resident told the outlet 7x7 that "a wild cleanup is happening in the center, they're trying to do it in a week... they're repairing all the roads."
The work is linked to a possible visit by President Vladimir Putin, who according to local media is expected to arrive in Novosibirsk on August 11 to open the Siberian Circular Photon Source. Other reports suggest the visit could take place later in the month, between August 26 and 28. The Kremlin has not officially confirmed these plans.
"They're clearing branches, they've trimmed all the trees, everything is neat, everything is clean. Before, damn it, it was overgrown — those branches are lying right there. In three days they'll rebuild our city," another resident told 7x7. Some locals joked: "The city is being transformed urgently. Maybe the president will come to Novosibirsk more often?"
Putin has been continuing his trips across Siberia. He visited Irkutsk on July 24 and Krasnoyarsk on August 3. In both cities, gasoline prices dropped sharply during his visits and returned to previous levels after he left. Ahead of the possible visit to Novosibirsk, residents have been advising each other on social media to stock up on fuel: "We urgently need to stock up on gasoline canisters — on August 11 the price of gasoline will drop by 24 rubles. Like it was in Krasnoyarsk."