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Russian mall shutdown sparks uproar and confusion

Yekaterinburg’s largest shopping mall was suddenly closed on June 27th. Greenwich, which stands proud in the city centre, is Yekaterinburg’s answer to Moscow’s Okhotny Ryad or Afi Mall. Opened in 2004, Greenwich has routinely been listed as one of Russia’s best shopping malls and entertainment facilities. Why, then, was it shut down so suddenly without so much as a whisper from commentators crying wolf?

September 26, 2025 - James C. Pearce - Issue 5 2025MagazineStories and ideas

Yekaterinburg’s Greenwich shopping centre has over 300 stores, boasting over one million visitors a month and up to 18 million a year. Photo: Фальшивомонетчик (CC) commons.wikimedia.org

The official reason given was due to fire safety violations. Engineering works on these systems were to be conducted immediately, the mall’s management said in its statement. Many first heard about the closure on local news media outlets and it was initially assumed to be fake news. Why – and indeed why – would employees not have been informed? Why was everything functioning as normal until the last second? Two hours after making the headlines, the mall’s workers had finally received official confirmation: the mall is closed. Go home. Shoppers were utterly clueless and the city somewhat in shock.

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