Winter overtakes Russia

For the first time this winter cold and snow have paralyzed public life in the western Russian cities.

Wednesday went up 15 000 vehicles from the city's streets to clear the snow. In the vast metropolis traffic was jammed. Dozens of flights were canceled at the three international airports of Moscow. Also in St. Petersburg public life largely came to a standstill.
Russian meteorologists predict more snow and frost. A little further away from Moscow It's already cold. The Public Prosecutor is investigating how it can be that a motorist at Orenburg, 1300 kilometers southeast of the capital, shortly after the new year in a file could freeze to death. Despite strong urging motorists the aid workers came after sixteen hours in action. Car traffic was stalled while the temperature dropped to 16 degrees below zero.