Moscow shut down non-essential services for 11 days on Thursday as Russia battles a record-breaking coronavirus surge driven by low vaccination rates.
The country hardest-hit in Europe by the pandemic, Russia on Thursday recorded 1,159 fatalities in a single day. An official government tally also reported a record 40,096 new infections.
Authorities have shied away from the kind of severe lockdowns imposed in many countries, but have shut down all non-essential services in Moscow from Thursday until November 7.
President Vladimir Putin's government has been pinning its hopes in the fight against Covid on homegrown vaccines like Sputnik V, but Russians have proven stubbornly resistant to being inoculated.
As of Thursday, only 32 percent of Russia's population had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid-19 data from the regions.
The country hardest-hit in Europe by the pandemic, Russia on Thursday recorded 1,159 fatalities and a record 40,096 new infections in a single day
Retail outlets, restaurants, and sporting and entertainment venues are all closed, along with schools and kindergartens.
Only shops selling food, medicine and other essentials are allowed to remain open, and cafes are open for take-away.
The city's sprawling Metro network was slightly less busy than normal Thursday, with many passengers not wearing masks. Roads were also moderately less congested.
Authorities have not required Russians to stay at home during the non-working period and many were planning to use the days to travel across the country and abroad.
President Vladimir Putin's government has been pinning its hopes in the fight against Covid on homegrown vaccines like Sputnik V, but Russians have proven stubbornly resistant to being inoculated
As of Thursday, only 32 per cent of Russia's population had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid-19 data from the regions
The mayor of the Black Sea resort city of Sochi has warned of a huge influx of tourists, and demand in Russia for flights bound for Turkey and Egypt has soared.
On the streets of the capital, some Muscovites said they approved of the restrictions, while others said they did not go far enough.
'I think it's important
