Moscow Deploys 'Fluff-Sucking' Robots as Poplar Season Sweeps the City
Moscow authorities have deployed unusual "fluff-sucking” robots to clear poplar fluff from city streets as the annual summer nuisance reaches its peak.
The machines, nicknamed "pukhosos” — literally "fluff sucker” — recently appeared on roads across the Russian capital, according to the Telegram channel Moscow News.
Special Machines Sent to Fight Poplar Fluff
A wave of poplar fluff has blanketed the city, prompting municipal services to introduce specialized equipment to help remove it.
The small vehicles move slowly along the streets while vacuuming the road surface. Each machine carries the simple inscription: "This is a fluff sucker.”
"Fluff suckers have urgently been deployed onto the streets of Moscow. Allergy sufferers, help is on the way,” the publication said.
Seasonal Challenge for the Capital
Poplar fluff is a familiar summer phenomenon in Moscow and other Russian cities. Large quantities of the lightweight material accumulate on roads, sidewalks, and public spaces, often causing inconvenience for residents.
Municipal authorities regularly employ street-cleaning measures during the peak of the season, and the new robotic machines represent an unusual addition to those efforts.
Warmer Weather Ahead
Earlier, meteorologist Alexander Ilyin from the Meteo forecasting center said that residents of the Moscow region can expect genuinely summer-like weather in late June and early July.
According to the forecaster, warmer conditions are set to arrive across the region as summer progresses.
