Moscow region plunges into crisis as utility services fail amid war spending
As the Kremlin continues to pour billions of dollars into the war against Ukraine, Russia is facing a communal collapse. Amidst freezing temperatures, the Moscow region has been left without power and heat due to widespread breakdowns.
The most severe situation is seen in the Russian city of Podolsk, which has fallen into an icy trap. Residents are pleading for help on local forums.
In Podolsk, the Klimovsk district—which is home to nearly 60,000 people—has been without power and heat. For more than two days, efforts to fix a rapture in a heating main, located near the cartridge plant, have been unsuccessful.
The breakdown occurred when severe frosts hit the Moscow region, with temperatures plunging to -25°C and below. On community pages, people complain that the temperatures inside their apartments are approaching sub-zero, with frozen radiators bursting en masse. Residents are forced to stay indoors, clad in jackets, hats, and boots.
Russian authorities have promised to normalize the situation "as soon as possible", however, no progress has been observed. Those affected are being given blankets, and a field kitchen serving free hot porridge and tea has started operating in central Podolsk. Locals, however, regard this aid as a mockery.
The Ministry of Energy of the Moscow region reported that the cause of the breakdown was a hydraulic shock in the heat supply network, caused by a voltage surge in a boiler house.
Issues with heating and electricity have been reported in other districts of the Moscow region, as well as in Moscow itself. Russian authorities have claimed to have resolved the effects of the breakdowns, though residents assert that heat and light have not been restored.
Earlier, it was reported that in the Moscow region, authorities sent police to disperse protesters who had been freezing in their homes due to a lack of heating.