The Moscow region has been hit by sub-zero temperatures, with the old heating network reportedly unable to withstand the weather. As a result, over 20,000 residents have been abandoned, freezing in sub-zero temperatures recorded in their homes for days.
A married couple and their dog reportedly died from carbon monoxide poisoning while trying to keep warm in the city of Kolomna, Moscow region. Footage circulating on Telegram shows windows and doors covered with layers of ice amid the cold, and people were seen burning wood on the streets to keep warm. Meanwhile, water mains burst in multiple buildings, worsening the situation for people.
This comes amid rumours of an incident at one of the largest ammunition plants in Klimovsk, which some claim is connected with the problems. According to reports, Klimovsk ‘is heated by one departmental boiler house of the local cartridge plant’, which has broken down. Multiple apartment blocks were left without heating or hot water.
It is understood that government officials only learned about the issue from social media, where residents were complaining en masse. There was even a spontaneous protest on the town’s main square on January 5, with people saying that the temperature in their apartments dropped to -10°C. Several signs that read ‘SOS – We are freezing – Punish the guilty’ were seen, but officials have been unable to say when the heating will be restored.
Another power station broke down in Lytkarino, Moscow region, leaving people to light fires outside in the icy temperatures to get warmth.
The situation has caused widespread outrage among the affected residents. A protest video said: ‘Since yesterday they promise nothing. Grandmothers are freezing at home. Children dressed in coats are sick and coughing. The hospitals are cold; everywhere is cold. We need to do something to solve this. Who is responsible is still unclear…we get only excuses.’
A resident complained: ‘The police arrived quickly to disrupt us. I wish they would bring back the heating as fast as they dispatched the cops [to disperse us].’
The situation has sparked anger among Russians who are questioning why President Vladimir Putin is spending billions of pounds on his war in Ukraine. At the same time, people across Moscow are left freezing without heating or hot water.
Related
