Russians block a federal highway, demanding that local officials restore their hot water. And it worked

Residents in a town outside Moscow briefly blocked part of a federal highway on Monday, protesting against local officials’ failure to reinstate their hot water after summer infrastructure maintenance. Shortly after the demonstration, the town’s hot water was restored, three protesters told Meduza.

On June 13, officials in the town of Klin shut off the hot water for about 4,500 residents, promising to return the service in two weeks. Three weeks later, the hot water was still off, and locals walked out into the street, blocking part of a highway that runs through the town, connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg.

According to Russia's administrative code, intentionally blocking a highway can result in fines as high as 100,000 rubles (almost $1,700).

Town officials reportedly came out to talk to the demonstrators, who say they were asked to disperse without any promises that the hot water would come back. A few hours later, it did.

The same thing nearly happened in Klin two years ago, when locals threatened to block the highway, after officials failed to restore the town’s hot water.