A record cold wave recently struck Europe with strong winds and powerful storms, claiming lives and causing major disruptions to power supplies and transport in a number of countries, leading to suspended flights and delays among shipping services.
Plummeting winter temperatures are said to be the result of stationary high pressure over Western Europe, resulting in strong winds circulating from Russia and Scandinavia towards Eastern Europe.
This mere fact has prompted many to joke that it was none other than Vladimir Putin himself behind this invading wave of cold.
Sputnik France took a look at trending French tweets to find the most shocking insinuations.
"The coming week inevitably raises the question of Russia's interference in the temperatures expected in our beautiful country," tweeted one of the users.
La semaine qui s'annonce pose inévitablement la question des interférences de la Russie dans les températures prévues dans notre beau pays.
— Frédéric Pichon (@Fred_Pichon) 16 января 2017 г.
Thierry Mariani, French politician and MP, was quick to respond: "Thanks to @Fred_Pichon for highlighting the responsibility of #Poutine (French for Putin) in the cold wave striking France."
Merci à @Fred_Pichon d'avoir mis en évidence la responsabilité de #Poutine dans la vague de froid frappant la France https://t.co/TTWnUIerwc
— Thierry MARIANI ن (@ThierryMARIANI) 17 января 2017 г.
Meanwhile, another user has wondered whether the "agents of the Kremlin" were able to develop a way of destabilizing the climate in response to anti-Russian sanctions.
#Ukraine En réponse #sanctions, le "#Moscou-#Paris", ce couloir de froid venu de Sibérie, a franchi la frontière est de l'Hexagone! #Russie pic.twitter.com/VT2HvqlZK5
— PATRICE CHARRAIS (@Pat_lepoete) 17 января 2017 г.
"Putin is so strong that he even happens to attack us with a wave of cold," suggests another tweet in the selection.
Poutine il est tellement fort qu'il arrive même à nous attaquer avec une vague de froid pic.twitter.com/4nbpEQlkfO
— Clive (@CliveTwo) 17 января 2017 г.
"There you go! The cold wave comes from Russia and there is no one cunning enough to say he will stop Putin!" the users go on.
Et voilà! La vague de froid vient de Russie et là il n'y a plus personne qui fait le malin pour dire qu'il va l'arrêter!#PeurDePoutine?
— FX Noat Carros (@FX_Noat) 17 января 2017 г.
"A mass of cold air coming from Russia. And Putin will still continue to deny any interference???" one writer wonders.
"Une masse d'air froid venue de Russie." Et Poutine va encore continuer de nier toute ingérence??? pic.twitter.com/3k5UgchMik
— Claire Underwood (@ParisPasRose) 15 января 2017 г.
One user even suggested that right after sending a wave of cold in advance, Vladimir Putin will appear in person riding a Russian bear.
Il fait tellement froid que je m'attends à voir débarquer Poutine sur un ours à tout moment pic.twitter.com/aTOnvsKJur
— Marie-Ole (@Diabelle02) 17 января 2017 г.
Some, however, have gone further, voicing suggestions regarding why Russia had invaded Europe with cold.
Froid sibérien cette semaine,
— Gatimo MOYATO (@GatimoMOYATO) 16 января 2017 г.
Déstabilisation de Vladimir Poutine??? pic.twitter.com/5JGPf89uS5
"Perhaps Paris will finally be interested in buying Russian gas and will thus fill the pockets of the Russians, who seem immune to the harmful effects of snow and ice."
Meanwhile, the wave of icy cold seems be easing in France, and President Putin hasn't arrived atop his legendary ursine steed. However, there is still one more winter month to go.
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