Russia’s emergencies ministry has announced that smoking on the balconies of apartment blocks will be banned under new fire regulations, the BBC reported.

According to the new rules, "open fire" is forbidden on the balconies of apartments and in the living rooms of dormitories and hotels. Breaking the new fire rules a fine of up to RUB 3,000 (USD 36) could be imposed, the report said.
When the ban comes into force on 1 October, it will have far-reaching consequences. Russian cities consist mostly of skyscrapers with balconies where people smoke, the BBC said.
The head of the All-Russian Movement for Smokers' Rights, Andrey Loskutov, is very upset about the ban: "They've banned it everywhere they could. Now they remembered they forgot about balconies," he was quoted as saying.