Federal Consumer Protection Service head Gennady Onishchenko said he "categorically does not recommend taking part in these demonstrations," referring to the opposition march and rally scheduled to be held in central Moscow on Saturday and a pro-Putin event planned for the same day, Interfax reported.
In order to withstand more than an hour in the type of conditions expected Saturday, protesters would need to dress in a way to which they are unaccustomed, including the donning of warm shoes and socks, "which no one wears," Onishchenko said.
He emphasized that young people especially should not take part in the events, given that they "in principle do not accept bulky, warm things, which they do not have." He said the elderly should not participate either, because while they are more careful and try to dress more appropriately for the weather, "their adaptive resources have been exhausted over the course of their whole lives."
The federal weather service is currently forecasting daytime temperatures on Saturday of around minus 14 C in Moscow.