Vladimir Putin inaugurated the “Sickle and Hammer” station / The event is taking place amid an election campaign

Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated the “Hammer and Sickle” urban railway station in Moscow on Saturday, September 5, as part of events marking the 879th anniversary of the founding of Russia’s capital. The ceremony took place in the presence of Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, ahead of a meeting with American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The new infrastructure, covering an area of 7,300 square meters, is one of the main transport hubs in eastern Moscow. The station connects two metro stations and tram lines and is designed to serve nearly one million people. By 2030, the authorities estimate approximately 100,000 daily users.

The name refers to the central symbol of the USSR, associated with the alliance between workers and peasants. The inauguration comes amid an election campaign: Putin is leading the United Russia party’s campaign for the first time since 2007, as it seeks to retain its constitutional majority in the parliamentary elections on September 20. At a meeting with the party’s main candidates, the Russian leader called for strengthening the state and supporting military personnel involved in the war in Ukraine. According to the Levada Center, 59% of Russians support the rapid start of peace negotiations, while 31% want military operations to continue.