Temperatures in Moscow have broken the first record for the summer of 2011, with temperatures of 31.4 degrees Celsius (89 degrees Fahrenheit) recorded on Monday, the Fobos meteorological center said.
The previous record of 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) for August 15 was registered in 2010.
Last summer a scorching heat wave gripped much of western Russia since mid-June, and temperatures in Moscow broke 22 records, including an absolute record of 38.2 degrees Celsius (101 degrees Fahrenheit) that was registered on July 29.