Russia evacuates 4,000 people after dam bursts, floods near Kazakh border
Al JazeeraMAR 2024
In years past Pres. Vladimir Putin has been vocal in his criticism of man-made climate change, but he has recently also taken a proactive and progressive stance against its impacts. Russia has intensified operations to prepare its people for extreme weather events like this one. This is evidenced in its quick commissioning of a committee to tackle the Ural mountain floods which was exacerbated by warm temperatures in the region.
Moscow has publicly sought to gain from climate change — such as gaining leverage over the melting Arctic — although experts have disapproved. Russia's political and economic future is intertwined and largely dependent on a collective global response to a warming planet. No positive spin by state media will make up for its lack of preparation against extreme weather events that will inevitably torment it.