Russian Premier demands housing and municipal services of Ulyanovsk region start preparing for winter

Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has demanded "immediate" steps to start preparing the housing and municipal services of the Ulyanovsk region for winter.

On Friday, Kasyanov chaired a meeting in the Government House on reforming the Ulyanovsk region's housing and utilities.

Opening the meeting, the premier said that the situation in the region "is not improving at a pace we would like it to". He indicated that the problem had even called for the president's attention.

It was noted at the conference that the Ulyanovsk region risks failing to maintain current power supplies and to prepare the equipment and networks for the coming heating season.

Ulyanovsk region governor Vladimir Shamanov noted at the meeting that this is the first time in the past 10 years that the federal centre, regional structures and municipalities of the region have pooled their efforts together to identify causes of the grave situation.

To consider reforming the housing and municipal services of the Ulyanovsk region, a working group has been set up, headed by Russia's First Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Ulyukayev.