Moscow closed non-essential services for 11 consecutive days on Thursday, as Russia fights a record-breaking coronavirus epidemic fueled by low vaccination rates.

Russia, the country most affected by the pandemic in Europe, recorded 1,159 deaths in a single night on Thursday. Official government statistics also revealed a record 40.096 new infections.

Moscow authorities have closed all non-essential services from Thursday to November 7th, despite not wanting to follow the same strict lockdowns that were imposed in many other countries.

President Vladimir Putin’s government has been placing its hopes in fighting Covid on homegrown vaccines, like Sputnik V. However, Russians have been stubbornly resisting being immunized.

According to the Gogov website, which compiles Covid-19 data from regions, only 32 percent had been fully vaccinated as of Thursday.

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

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 entertainment venues are all closed. Schools and kindergartens are also closed. 

Only shops selling food, medicine, or other essentials are allowed in the premises. Take-out cafes are not permitted.

The sprawling metro network in the city was slightly less crowded than usual Thursday, with many people not wearing masks. The roads were also less congested.

Russians are not required to remain at home during non-working hours. Many were planning to use these days to travel around 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

The government of President Vladimir Putin has been pinning its hopes for the fight against Covid upon homegrown vaccines such as Sputnik V. But Russians have stubbornly refused to be 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

According to the Gogov website, which compiles Covid-19 data from regions, only 32% of Russia’s population was fully vaccinated as of Thursday 

Sochi, the Black Sea resort city, has warned of a large influx of tourists. There has been a surge in demand for flights to Egypt and Turkey from Russia.

On the streets of the capital, some Muscovites stated they supported the restrictions, while others claimed they didn’t go far enough.

Vladimir Chizhov, a 45 year-old programmer, stated that it was more important to save someone’s lives than to entertain them, particularly when it’s not for a very long time.

Arseny Kubunov, a 35 year-old sound engineer, stated that restrictions similar to European lockdowns were necessary.

He said, “Tougher measures must be taken until everyone has been vaccinated, as it was in Europe.”

‘Otherwise, this is very meaningless – this will continue wave after wave till everyone is vaccinated anyway.

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

Moscow authorities have closed all non-essential services from Thursday to November 7th, despite not wanting to follow the same strict lockdowns that were imposed in many other countries.

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

The sprawling metro network in the city was slightly less crowded than usual Thursday, with many people not wearing masks. The roads were also slightly less congested 

Officials stated that the Russian army was planning to open a Covid Hospital in Moscow as a response to the rise in deaths.

According to the defense ministry, brigades of nurses and doctors were available to treat the sick in a specialised hospital.

Last week, Putin ordered a nationwide paid vacation between October 30th and November 7, in an effort to reverse rising infections. Moscow authorities then followed his lead and shut down all non-essential services in Moscow starting on Thursday.

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said that authorities had not yet made mandatory jabs for everyone despite rising numbers and low vaccination rates.

Peskov stated to reporters that the figures so far did not give reason for optimism.  “We will watch how the situation develops.”

Officers of Moscow's Association of Administrative and Technical Inspections check compliance with sanitary and public health safety requirements amid a new lockdown

Moscow’s Association of Administrative and Technical Inspections officers inspect compliance with sanitary and public safety requirements during a new lockdown

Russia has seen nearly 8.4 million coronavirus deaths and more than 235,000 cases of the virus. However, independent experts claim that authorities have downplayed its severity.

Rosstat, the statistics agency, has published figures for October showing a darker picture. It shows that more than 400,000 people have died from the coronavirus.

After a prolonged, months-long lockdown in the early days of the pandemic the Russian authorities were reluctant to impose additional restrictions that would harm the economy. Instead, they pleaded with Russians to get vaccinated. 

Officers of Moscow's Association of Administrative and Technical Inspections check compliance with sanitary and public health safety requirements amid a new lockdown

Moscow’s Association of Administrative and Technical Inspections officers inspect compliance with sanitary and public safety requirements during a new lockdown

Figures published by statistics agency Rosstat in October paint a darker picture, suggesting that more than 400,000 people have died in the country from the coronavirus

Rosstat, a statistics agency, has published figures that indicate that more than 400,000 people have died from the coronavirus.