The BBC reported a dumper truck spread artificial snowfall along Tverskaya Street, in Red Square and at other tourist sites in time for the festivities.
However, there has been a smattering of snow since then and there is more forecast to fall today (31 December).
Russia is currently experiencing its warmest December in almost 140 years, which is a particular departure from the subzero temperatures of General Winter famed throughout the region.
One Twitter user, DicksonReps, said: "If ’climate change’ is ’fake’ why are the Russians trucking in ’fake’ snow when normally they be spending a small fortune clearing it off the streets at this time of the year?"
Head of the Moscow Trade and Services Department, Alexei Nemeryuk, told Govorit Moskva radio station the ’snow’ was made by crushing skating rink ice and will be used to create a snowboarding hill.
