A traffic jam on federal highway R-258 "Baikal" in the Slyudyansky District of the Irkutsk Region has been ongoing for three days and stretches for nearly 100 kilometers. Approximately 10 vehicles are stuck in the gridlock, creating significant challenges for drivers in temperatures reaching -20 degrees Celsius.

According to eyewitnesses, some drivers have run out of food and water and are being forced to ask others in the convoy for help. Others are trying to wait out the situation in gas station cafes or at three warming stations distributing hot meals. The fuel shortage is exacerbating the situation: without it, movement in this weather is virtually impossible. Rescuers are organizing targeted gasoline deliveries to those freezing and are also offering shelter at a temporary 549-bed shelter set up in a school in Baikalsk.

Drivers note that one of the reasons for the prolonged traffic jam is the actions of undisciplined drivers. As soon as traffic begins to clear, individual drivers, "rushing" ahead, veer into the oncoming lane, become stuck, and the convoy comes to a halt again. In some areas, people are stuck for 7–8 hours.

To prevent the situation from worsening further, authorities imposed restrictions on heavy-duty vehicles for the remainder of the day. The chaos was caused by icy conditions and sleet, which annually turn the serpentine road into a dangerous trap.