MOSCOW, July 1. /ITAR-TASS/. The State Duma has approved in the second and third, the last reading the draft bill on returning to winter time standard.

The law “On computation of time” stipulates that “Moscow standard time corresponds to the third time zone in the national time scale of the Russian Federation UTC (SU) +3 hours”, while currently is used the UTC (SU) +4 hours time standard.

The law bans seasonal time conversions.

The new regulations will come into effect October 26, 2014 at 02:00 Moscow time.

 

New time zones

The bill sets 11 time zones in Russia. The first one (UTC+2) includes the Kaliningrad region.

The second zone, where the time standard coincides with Moscow time, will be the largest. In particular, it will include Dagestan, Karelia, Moscow, Murmansk and Yaroslavl regions, as well as the city of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sevastopol.

The third time zone (UTC+4) includes the Republic of Udmurtia and the Samara region. The fourth one (UTC+5) embraces Bashkortostan, Sverdlovsk region and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

The third time zone (UTC+6) includes the Republic of Altai, Altai Territory, Novosibirsk region, as well as Omsk and Tomsk regions. Khakassia and Kemerovo region are among the regions in the sixth time zone (UTC+7).

The UTC+8 time will be in Buryatia, Zabaykalsk Territory and Irkutsk region.

Most district of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Amur region will be included in the eight time zone (UTC+9). The ninth time zone (UTC+10) includes a number of Yakutia’s districts, as well as the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories.

The tenth time zone (UTC+11) includes some districts of Yakutia and the North Kuril district of the Sakhalin region. Kamchatka territory and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug are included in the eleventh time zone (UTC+12).

 

Who wants winter time back

In October 2013, Russia’s public opinion center WCIOM presented results of a poll about winter time standard. A quarter of Russian population supports the decision to shift to winter time standard forever.

The idea is hailed mostly by Moscovites and residents of St. Petersburg (33%), usually opposed by residents of other major cities (46%).

The backers of conversion to winter time explain their stance saying that it is better to wake up in daylight time (29%) and by the belief that this system is healthier (27%). Among other reasons is the habitualness of this time standard (13%), convenience (11%), more daylight (7%) etc.

A negative attitude towards this initiative, according to poll results, is expressed by 31% of pollsters; 36% of people asked react neutrally.