The preparation for the main event came to the finish line: on March 18^th Presidential elections will take place in Russia. For citizens, who will be traveling that day, polling stations will be set at the railway stations and Khrabrovo airport. In total, over 500 polling stations will function in the region. All stations will be attended by independent observers to monitor transparency of the election process. The stations will open at 8 a.m. and work until 8 p.m. The airport administration promises that there will be no problems with flights due to voting procedures.

Victoria Safronova Secretary of Precinct Election Commission # 119:

— We know the fixed list of voters and the number of people that will vote at our Election Commission. We are ready and capable to cope with any temporary congestion if any occurs. Our team is very cohesive…  I think that nobody will be late for the flight. Everyone will be served swiftly.

TECHNOLAND IN EAST OF KALININGRAD

 Mass production of the first Russian SSD-drives was launched in the east of the Region. These are modern devices based on memory chips. Microelectronic developers work with materials many times thinner than human hair. These SSD-drives are very different from the usual data storage devices.

Alexey Yartsev Technical Director of the Manufacturing Company:

 — They provide higher speed for the consumer, reliability and protection of information. They don’t have mechanical rotating elements, which are usually used in hard drives. They are based on memory chips that are produced in these clean labs. The chip is based on special silicon elements crystals.

Today many local companies create their own server storages in order to ensure maximum information security. The production of memory devices in Russia allows us to solve this problem.

Alexander Shenderyuk-Zhidkov Deputy Chairman of the Regional Government:

— This is indeed a very serious breakthrough, because we are reaching the level of international technology. And we start ousting of Asian and European partners in this segment. This is important from the point of view of the regional economy. It is important for the country as a whole, for its security.

 WIND FARM IN USHAKOVO

Preparations for commissioning of the most modern wind farm in Russia are coming to an end. Three modern wind turbines were transported to our region from Germany. For their transportation more than 30 trucks were required. Such windmills in Russia are operated for the first time, the weight of each is comparable to that of five loaded railway carriages. As the builders say, wind turbines get assembled with a special crane.

Igor Makovsky General Director of JSC «Yantarenergo»:

— We will be able to improve the power supply in the South-West of Kaliningrad in the direction of the Polish border: Mamonovo, Bagrationovsk. As well as it’ll be possible to supply electricity to some infrastructure facilities of the Region in general and to those of the World Cup in particular. Eco-friendly energy for the World Championship.

SHUTTLES FOR FANS

Special shuttles for fans will run during World Cup. Buses will go on five routes. The first is gonna take fans from the airport to the stadium. Shuttles from the North and South railway stations in Kaliningrad will also be moving there. Necessary transport will be organized from an intercepting parking lot, which will be located on Suzdalskaya Street. From there shuttles will take fans to the stadium and the North Railway Station. They will work from 4 p.m. to two in the morning. The time slot between buses is set 5 minutes. Traveling for all passengers on shuttles enroute to the stadium will be free.

DIVERS COMPETE

Military divers competed in all-around competition in Baltiysk. The winners will go to the all-army games «Depth 2018», which will be held in Sevastopol in June this year. The weight of the divers’ equipment is more than 40 kilograms. One of the simulators on which divers are engaged is called a flooded compartment. Divers have to immerse as quickly as possible into the water and weld all the holes.

Divers need to break through the blockage into the room. To do this, they need to saw the boards of a certain length, and seal the hole. For performing all these they have just some minutes. The most dangerous exercise in competitions is working with electricity under the water.

Yuri Mirny, diver:

— There everything is for agility, for speed, therefore, the faster, the better! When you are on land you take a panel and saw it, but under the water everything is different, we must still think about our health, to ensure that equipment does not fail one must listen to equipment!

NEW PLACE FOR OLD TRADITIONS

A new object of art will appear in Kaliningrad. It is designed especially for the newlyweds. The construction will contain an arch with scales. There by tradition the bride and the groom will hang their locks on the wedding day. The bowl in metal nets will hang on the real spring balance. Its weight will depend on the number of locks. Thus, love in our city will be measured first in kilograms, and then in tons. At present newlyweds hang their padlocks on the Honeymoon bridge in Kaliningrad.

Vladimir Svintsov, Director of Urban Road Construction and Repair Company:

— I would like to offer Kaliningradians another ceremony, it existed here in the Middle Ages. Young males took their brides in arms, walked three times along this bridge, without lowering them. And on each bank they turned around their axis three times.

GRAFFITO

A new tricolor in 3D format appeared in Kaliningrad. That picture can now be seen at the intersection of Moscow Avenue and Oktyabrskaya Street. Kyrill Heinz has painted the graffito on the wall of a technical building. According to the artist, this is an appeal not to be indifferent to the fate of our country and take part in the upcoming elections.

Kirill Heinz, artist:

— I feel pride … I’m a patriot from head to foot. I really mean it and I take pride in what I do for my country. By drawing this I want to express my opinion that a person should not be nonchalant to his future. That is, if he wants to make a choice, then he must make a choice. And do not just sit and complain as everything is bad.

This is not the only work of the young artist. Graffiti on the supports of the flyover bridge, drawings for the World Cup on transformer substations – all these large-scale works were performed by Kirill Heinz. In total he has about 100 street works in the region.

Kirill Heinz, artist:

The great thing about graffito is that you can spray it on any surface which can even be very uneven. For instance, you can hide a door. And we paint so that doors are not visible at all.

CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS 18.03.18

Heads of different regions of the country call Russian people to come to the polls and give their votes. Anton Alikhanov Kaliningrad Region Governor took part in the all-Russian action called «Choice of Champions180318». Earlier the Crimean Head Sergei Aksenov had pressed-up 18 times, and the Governor of the Yaroslavl region Dmitry Mironov had made 18 shots at the goal of the youth hockey team.