Educational officials in Russia's Krasnodar Territory banned Halloween celebrations at local schools.

      The Krasnodar education ministry has said in its official statement that Halloween “poses a great danger to children and may destroy their mental health." The Ministry also quotes some unnamed psychiatrists and psychologists who said that "children who participate in such celebrations often feel fear, emotional suppression and aggression and are susceptible to suicide.”

      Moreover, Halloween’s religious aspects contradict Russia’s secular education principles, the ministry added.

      Halloween gained popularity in Russia after the Soviet collapse, with the first Halloween parties held in Russian schools in the late 1990s. Currently, Russian Educational Ministry recommend schools to refrain from the celebrations, but it is only recommendation, and the final decision still lies in the hands of school principals.