Social media mock Russian official over coal makeup.

Governor of Kemerovo region in a mine

Governor of Kemerovo region Ilya Seredyuk sparked outrage on social media after visiting the 'Yuzhnaya' mine. In the photo, he is shown, along with the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Energy, wearing coal makeup with soiled cheeks. These images quickly spread across the network.

The governor explained this makeup as a tradition among those who visit mines for the first time. He assured that this is not a PR stunt, but merely following a custom.

Nevertheless, the published photos clearly show that local miners do not wear coal makeup and do not have faces dirty with coal. Perhaps this image was just an attempt by the governor to gain popularity on social media.