'Freezing in Podolsk: Citizens endure winter without heat as authorities choose police over aid'

What should be done when there's a breakdown in the middle of winter and suddenly there's no heating, electricity, or hot water in the city? In Russia, it's hard to rely on authorities for support. The heating system has failed in Podolsk, a town with a population of 300,000 located south of Moscow.

As people freeze in steadily declining temperatures reaching 10-10.4 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, the authorities seem incapable of repairing the breakdown. However, they've been quick to initiate oppressive actions against people exasperated with the stalemate situation and wish to live in warm apartments in January. These individuals are met with obstacles while voicing their opposition.

They no sooner had the residents started to picket and openly complain about the authorities than they were met with opposition from the local police.

Amid the protests, uniformed officers began checking IDs and registering protesters. Instead of providing aid, they acted oppressively and behaved unkindly toward the increasingly desperate local people.

Upon the arrival of harsh cold, the ongoing outage spells trouble for the city's residents. According to meteorologists, Saturday's daytime temperature is expected to be 6.8 degrees Fahrenheit, dipping to -5.8 F at night. On Sunday, the temperature during the day will remain at -5.8 degrees Fahrenheit, falling further to -14.8 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Will the president intervene at this juncture? Much like other dictators, Vladimir Putin likes to depict himself as a rescuer of the common masses, taking a hands-on approach to solving problems that are virtually nonexistent in developed countries. Hence, it wouldn't be unusual for Putin to procure eggs for the winter, reduce prices in shops, visit children in the hospital, or fix a damaged boiler room.