Russia's attempt to intimidate Europe with a severe winter gas cut-off campaign has backfired, with Russians now facing their own winter hardships.
In September 2022, the state-owned gas company Gazprom released a campaign video suggesting a new ice age in Europe without Russian gas. Contrary to this threat, Europe managed the winter effectively.
However, in Russia, the situation is dire.
Residents in the Moscow Region, particularly in Klimovsk, are experiencing extreme cold.
A utility plant rupture on January 4 led to a lack of heat and hot water amidst -20-degree frost. People are coping with barely 12 degrees celcius of warmth in their homes, with heating radiators bursting. In a desperate bid for warmth, residents have resorted to making fires in their yards.
The response from local authorities has been minimal, offering only blankets instead of repairing utility systems. Adding to the residents' frustration, Governor Andrey Vorobyov was absent for several days during this crisis. Social media reports of the dire situation quickly went viral.
This predicament starkly contrasts the Russian government's threats to freeze Europe, as Russians now endure the very conditions they had predicted for Europeans.
Anton Gerashchenko, Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, shares more information about the freezing problems in Russia below.
