Heavy snowfall has been bringing public life in Moscow to a standstill since Sunday evening. With temperatures hovering around freezing, a blanket of snow up to 12 centimetres thick has formed. Gusty winds are causing conditions that are at times akin to a snowstorm.

The strong winds and heavy snow caused several trees to fall, damaging numerous cars in the process. Slush and icy conditions made it even more difficult to get around. Flight operations at Moscow Airport were temporarily suspended.

The snowfall and strong winds are set to continue on Tuesday. It is not until Wednesday that the adverse weather conditions are expected to ease slightly. However, temperatures are likely to remain very low until the weekend.