“The temperatures will be average,” Vilfand added. “Since 2000, Russian winters used to be quite warm and sleety, which is above average. So in comparison, the winter of 2010-2011 is expected to be more severe – so to say, it will be more of a ‘true Russian winter.’ Still, it won’t be as cold as last year. Temperatures from -20 Celsius to -30 Celsius will be up for about five or six days.”

He also said that “the coldest winter in 1,000 years” is an invention of the mass media, as no professional journals published anything of the kind.

Still, the country’s Emergencies Ministry has warned Russians about the possibility of industrial catastrophes during the winter.

The worse problems are expected in the heating sector. According to the ministry, the deterioration of funds will be exacerbated by strong frosts and snowfalls. Unwilling to be caught off guard, Russians are buying up portable heaters.

Muscovites have already tasted the first signs of winter: it was heavily snowing during the day. Although the snow did not last – the temperatures in the capital are still above zero – local residents complained that the snowfall was causing serious discomfort as the gusts of cold wind were literally knocking them off their feet. Visibility on the roads remains poor.