In the Nizhny Novgorod region, the official launch of the All-Russian campaign "Water of Russia" has been announced.

      On April 17, 2026, at 18:30, Society On April 17, the official launch of the All-Russian campaign (0+) "Water of Russia" took place in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The first event in the region was a large-scale clean-up along the shores of Lake Meshcherskoye in Nizhny Novgorod, which was held as part of the nationwide launch of the campaign simultaneously across all subjects of the Russian Federation. The campaign is being implemented as part of the federal project "Water of Russia" within the national project "Ecological Well-Being" and aims at systematic cleaning of the shores of water bodies, preservation of natural resources, and improvement of the ecological situation. On the day of the campaign's launch, clean-up events along the shores of water bodies took place not only in Nizhny Novgorod but also in 48 municipal entities of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The activities involved the shorelines of springs, ponds, lakes, and rivers, sections of the Gorky Reservoir, as well as natural areas, including the Fedorino swamp in the Voznesensky municipal district. In several areas, the campaign took on special formats. For example, in the Vadsky municipal district, the event became a large-scale ecological flash mob: about 100 participants formed a chain of cleaning, covering several villages located along the dam of Vadskoye Lake. The final point of the route was the cleaning of the area near the springs "Holy Springs." In total, on the day of the launch of the "Water of Russia" campaign, more than 1,500 people participated in the clean-ups in the region. Artem Bafanov, the First Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Nizhny Novgorod region, emphasized that the region is one of the key participants in the ecological agenda: more than 9,000 water bodies are located within its territory, each requiring attention and careful treatment. "Today's clean-up is not just cleaning, but a vivid example of uniting efforts for a common goal. Representatives of government authorities, businesses, public organizations, student associations, and residents of the region gathered in one place. This is the real manifestation of unity in action," noted Artem Bafanov. The site of the first ecological clean-up was chosen to be Lake Meshcherskoye - a popular recreational area that requires regular ecological care. More than 300 people participated in the clean-up - representatives of government authorities, local self-government, enterprises, public organizations, volunteers, and concerned residents of the region. They cleaned the coastal area, collected, and prepared a significant volume of waste for removal. The regional operator - LLC "Nizhecologia-NN" - provided containers and also carried out the removal at its own expense to the waste sorting complex. Throughout the season, events of the campaign will take place at key water bodies in the region, including the Volga, as well as small rivers and lakes in municipal entities. It should be noted that since 2025, in Russia, by the order of President Vladimir Putin, the national project "Ecological Well-Being" has been in effect, which fulfills tasks previously outlined in the national project "Ecology." The new national project aims to care for the environment and improve its comfort for human life. Work will be carried out in several areas: creating infrastructure for waste sorting and recycling, eliminating landfills and cleaning water bodies, preserving forests, reducing emissions into the atmosphere, as well as developing ecological tourism and preserving rare species of animals. The national project includes six federal projects: "General Clean-Up," "Water of Russia," "Preservation of Biological Diversity and Development of Ecological Tourism," "Forest Preservation," "Closed Loop Economy," "Clean Air." NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.