Fly jets, keep rains away

Moscow is a city where there is always uncertainty about the weather. So since the days of the erstwhile USSR, when national holidays were c...

Moscow is a city where there is always uncertainty about the weather. So since the days of the erstwhile USSR, when national holidays were celebrated, leaders made preparations to prevent rains to keep people in a ‘‘good mood’’. The practice has continued in democratic Russia.

It was perfect weather with the sun beating down when PM Manmohan Singh left for Moscow to attend the 60th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany. But by the time the plane touched down at Vnukovo airport, it had started raining.

Russian Air Force’s

cloud-seeding planes were ready to take up the challenge to prevent the rains. But they could not, at least, on Sunday, as the airspace over Moscow was closed due to the dozens of foreign leaders arriving in the city for the occasion.

Story continues below this ad

If the rains continue tonight, the cloud-seeding jets will take-off to spray chemicals to prevent the formation of clouds and create ‘‘fine weather’’ for the military parade and other gala events to be held on Monday.

The practice of cloud-seeding is a costly affair but the Kremlin does not mind spending money when it comes to things called ‘‘Russian prestige’’. Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally ordered the authorities to disperse the clouds during the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg in 2003, at the cost of about $1million.