In Photos: St. Petersburg Grapples With Ice-Covered Streets
St. Petersburg residents have seen the most ice coverage on their streets and sidewalks in years this week.
Hundreds of people have landed in the hospital after slipping and falling, while local authorities face criticism for failing to deal with the situation.
Here's a look at Russia's ice-covered northern capital:
Hundreds of people have landed in the hospital after slipping and falling, while local authorities face criticism for failing to deal with the situation.
Here's a look at Russia's ice-covered northern capital:
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/3e/TASS_50381477.jpg)
Since Jan. 14, around 100 citizens have been hospitalized daily due to injuries caused by falling on icy pavement.
Sergey Yermokhin / TASS
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/e5/TASS_50381481.jpg)
Videos that quickly went viral on social media show locals switching out their winter boots for ice skates as they left their house for work or to pick up some groceries.
Sergey Yermokhin / TASS
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/12/TASS_50381479.jpg)
Elizavetinskaya Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the city of almost 6 million people, marked an all-time record in the number of patients who sought treatment after falling on the ice.
Sergey Yermokhin / TASS
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/80/TASS_49718463.jpg)
This winter, several Russian cities broke decades-old snowfall records.
Anatoly Maltsev / EPA / TASS
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/be/TASS_49928375-2.jpg)
Media reports have said the icy roads and sidewalks were exacerbated by understaffing in street cleaning and other communal services under Governor Alexander Beglov's administration.
Sergey Yermokhin / TASS
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/13/TASS_50273362.jpg)
St. Petersburg residents have been seen ice skating both on the streets and on the frozen surface of the Neva River.
While it’s common to see residents move to the “real ice,” this can be dangerous due to rapid changes in river currents and temperature fluctuations.
While it’s common to see residents move to the “real ice,” this can be dangerous due to rapid changes in river currents and temperature fluctuations.
Andrei Chepakin / TASS
![](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/image/1360/79/TASS_49682920.jpg)
Winters in Russia and around the world are changing due to the climate crisis, with snowfall and temperature fluctuations becoming increasingly volatile.
In Russia, this can be seen as record amounts of snow melt and then freeze again into ice.
In Russia, this can be seen as record amounts of snow melt and then freeze again into ice.
Anatoly Maltsev / EPA / TASS