Air pollution in Moscow has soared to 10 times above safe levels as the Russian capital experiences its worst smog in almost a decade.
A heatwave has engulfed central parts of European Russia since June, sparking forest and peat fires across the country.
Mosekomonitoring, a city government agency overseeing air pollution, said today the elderly and those suffering from heart disease should avoid contact with the smog.
Moscow hit an absolute temperature record on July 26 with 37.4 degrees Celsius. The heat wave is expected to abate slightly over the weekend.
compiled from Reuters reports