Luzhkov sinks IT barges in the sewers

The barges on the Frunzenskaya Embankment of the Moscow River, which house a number of the capital’s IT companies, have been disconnected from the water supply and the sewerage system, and they now face disconnection from power as well. Mayor Yuri Luzhkov announced in early September the intention to get rid of the barges. The authorities are annoyed that the rental of a square metre of water is 60 times less than the going rate on land in the centre of the city. Officials are now citing different reasons for the disconnections on the barges: excessive effluent discharge into the river, too high a water and electricity consumption or simply "preparations for winter".

One of the barges is home to Konstantin Rykin’s New Media Stars Consulting, where the well-known publications Dni.Ru, Vzglyad, Bourgeoisny Zhurnal and the dating service Neznakomka.ru are all created. Another barge is used as a floating office for several television projects of the company ViD.