Whiteout in Russia Blizzards leave cities from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok buried in snow
Heavy snow blanketed cities across Russia over the weekend, with powerful blizzards hitting Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok. Snowfall in Moscow broke a 50-year record on Friday, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe, after a severe storm struck the capital and surrounding regions. Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport descended into chaos, as flights were delayed or canceled and thousands of passengers waited in the arrivals area for hours on end to collect their luggage. Pulkovo Airport also reported flight delays and cancellations on Saturday as strong winds and snow engulfed St. Petersburg. The city center found itself buried in 26 centimeters (more than 10 inches) of snow. That same day, another storm hit the port city of Vladivostok in the Far East, with snowfall continuing into Sunday. Meduza shares photos from the winter storms sweeping Russia.
Moscow
Moscow. January 9, 2026.
Vasily Kuzmichyonok / Moskva News Agency
Moscow. January 9, 2026.
Yaroslav Chingayev / Moskva News Agency
Meduza is the world’s largest independent Russian news outlet. Every day, we bring you essential coverage from Russia and beyond. Our independence lets us tell the stories others can’t and help you make sense of one of the world’s most enigmatic regions. Explore our reporting here and follow us wherever you get your news.
Moscow. January 9, 2026.
Vasily Kuzmichyonok / Moskva News Agency
Moscow. January 9, 2026.
Vasily Kuzmichyonok / Moskva News Agency
Cars drive through the snow on Sakharov Avenue in Moscow. January 9, 2026.
Sergei Bulkin / TASS / ZUMA Press / Scanpix / LETA
A man takes pictures surrounded by snowdrifts on Kuznetsky Most Street in central Moscow. January 11, 2026.
Stanislav Krasilnikov / Sputnik / Profimedia
A man shovels snow from around a car in Moscow. January 12, 2026.
Alexey Nikolskiy / Sputnik / Profimedia
Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. January 10, 2026.
Maria Branishty / TASS / ZUMA Press / Scanpix / LETA
Sheremetyevo Airport. January 10, 2026.
The Breakfast Show
Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. January 10, 2026.
Maria Branishty / TASS / ZUMA Press / Scanpix / LETA
St. Petersburg
A woman walks along an embankment of the Neva River in central St. Petersburg during the snowfall. January 10, 2026.
Alexei Danichev / Sputnik / Profimedia
People ride snow tubes in Gatchina, a town outside of St. Petersburg. January 11, 2026.
Olga Maltseva / AFP / Scanpix / LETA
Vladivostok
A woman photographed in a snowbank in Vladivostok. January 10, 2026.
Yuri Smityuk / TASS / ZUMA Press / Scanpix / LETA
A man shovels a city street in Vladivostok amid strong winds and heavy snowfall. January 10, 2026.
Yuri Smityuk / TASS / ZUMA Press / Scanpix / LETA
Vladivostok. January 10, 2026.
Yuri Smityuk / TASS / Profimedia