The tragedy gripped Russia for days.
Federal lawmakers convened a special committee and an investigation was launched, as hundreds of volunteers searched for the victim in subzero temperatures, and state news media ran live updates on the fallout.
Eventually, the victim — Twix the cat — was found dead.
A national outcry over the demise of a pet who was mistakenly thrown from a long-distance train by an attendant has highlighted both the limits of and the demand for an emotional outlet in wartime Russia.
A combination of propaganda, a crackdown on dissent and public fatigue with the inconclusive war has turned internet curiosities into a focus of national attention for days, even weeks.
Persons:
Denis Volkov
Organizations:
Levada
Locations:
Russia, Ukraine, Russian