Deadly cold hits Ukraine A vicious cold snap across Russia and eastern Europe has claimed nearly 200 lives, officials figures showed Friday, as forecasters warned it would last until Christmas Eve. Authorities in Ukraine, which has been battling heavy snowfall for weeks, said 83 people had died of cold, with 57 of the victims found on the street. In Kiev, city authorities have provided tents so that homeless people can shelter from the cold. Images and soundbites