123 Killed So Far In Moscow Alone In Russian Cold Wave - Reuters

MOSCOW - Russia's coldest winter in a generation killed seven more people overnight on Friday, bringing the death toll in Moscow to 123 and putting huge pressure on the Soviet-era heating and power network. "The Moscow energy system has never sustained such a load," said Anatoly Chubais, chief executive of state electricity monopoly Unified Energy System.

Temperatures in the Russian capital have reached minus 30 Celsius and electricity consumption hit a record peak on Thursday, Chubais said in comments quoted by RIA Novosti. Emergency services reported seven people died overnight from exposure in Moscow. Another 22 were being treated in hospital, the Interfax news agency reported.

Based on previous figures by Russian news agencies this would bring to 123 the number of people who have died from cold in Moscow since the end of October. The human toll is mainly among the homeless.

Exports of Russian gas and electricity have been cut back to provide for increased domestic demand in what is Moscow's coldest spell in 26 years.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/34623/story.htm

I guarantee you things are a lot worse for Russians.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x39463


This is just some wierd shit.
And if folks really don't think that a major global meltdown is at our doorstep, they're smokin' something.

Russians always suffer, it seems.

used to the cold. This must have been truly extraordinary.

Since then, those pipelines were attacked. I'm sure it's been even worse the past few days. :cry: