Russia has too many time zones, Dmitry Medvedev says

The Telegraph ^ | November 12, 2009

[myknowledge]

From Kalingrad in Europe to Kamchatka in the Far East, the country covers 11 time zones.

"We need to look at the possibility of cutting the number of time zones," Mr Medvedev said in his annual address to the nation, delivered at the Kremlin before an audience of Russia's political elite.

"Of course we need to consider the consequences of such a decision," he added.

In a wide-ranging speech focused almost entirely on domestic issues, Mr Medvedev also wondered aloud whether Russia really needed to continue changing the clocks twice a year for daylight saving.

"Here we need to compare all the advantages we would get from economising along with the obvious disadvantages," Mr Medvedev said, without elaborating. "I hope specialists will give us objective answers to these questions."

[myknowledge]

Indeed, Russia has 11 time zones, stretching from Kaliningrad Oblast to the Russian Far East, but that doesn't mean Medvedev has to cut down the time zones and unify Russia under one .

[FredZarguna]

I really feel for the dogs. They have 77 time zones.

[FredZarguna]

What time of the day did he say this?

Sometime between 10:10 AM and 9:10 PM. See the clock?

[lmr]

LOLZ

[IndianChief]

but that doesn't mean Medvedev has to cut down the time zones and unify Russia under one

I believe he wants it reduced to only 4 time zones. May make sense.

[Right Wing Assault]

Russia, you are too wide. Give away a bunch of you land until you are one time zone wide. Problem solved.

[myknowledge]

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Russian time zones have to be in sync with the rest of the world.

[rawhide]

Mr Medvedev also wondered aloud whether Russia really needed to continue changing the clocks twice a year for daylight saving.

I wish the US would stop this practice!

[HenpeckedCon]

They could get rid of a few time zones if they gave Koenigsberg back to Germany where it belongs.

[green iguana]

The Russian time zones have to be in sync with the rest of the world.

Says who? China's land covers 5 time zones, but the whole country is on Beijing time - GMT+8.

[Genoa]

I wish the US would stop this practice!

I'm with you. It makes no sense at all to take an hour of sunlight from one end of the day and transfer it to the other end of the day for a net gain of zero. Little kids have to wait for their school bus in the dark.