Penza, 2 November 2015. PenzaNews. Elena Khassan, director of the Penza zoo for many years, was laid off as of Monday, November 2.

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“Due to numerous violations related to the work of the organization, the contract with the director of the Penza city zoo Elena Khassan has been terminated unilaterally,” the press service of the Penza city administration told PenzaNews agency.

Her duties are temporarily placed upon Sergei Zubtsov, assistant director of the Penza zoo, they added.

However, according to information obtained by PenzaNews reporters, the zoo administration currently has no info on Elena Khassan’s end of work in her office.

“Information on Elena Khassan’s layoff is premature, so I cannot make any announcements,” said Marina Novikova, head of the HR department for the zoo.

She declined to make any other comments on the situation.