Monday is the most common day to die - after a weekend of heavy drinking

The three-day tally does not quite match the 1,000 arrests made during a four-day crackdown in the Altai territory of Siberia last year - but it shows that the arrival of a sober president, who prefers martial arts to vodka, has not brought a major change in Russian drinking habits.

Police say about 40% of traffic accidents in Russia are caused by drink driving, and alcohol is cited as the main reason for an unprecedented decline in male life expectancy to 59 years - 14 years less than in Western Europe.

Dead drunk

Russia's problems with alcohol follow a seasonal pattern, which also shows no sign of changing.

Nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky advertises his own brand

Every winter brings a growing death toll of men and women who freeze to death after falling down drunk in the street.

Every summer, rising temperatures are the cue for statistics about the number of people who have drowned while swimming under the influence.

On Monday, the Interfax news agency said a total of 26 people had drowned in lakes and rivers around Moscow so far this year.

A shocking study reported in the Kommersant newspaper in May said two-thirds of Russian men die drunk - most of them suffering from extreme stages of intoxication.

It noted that, for Russian men aged between 20 and 55, Monday is the most common day to die - after a weekend of heavy drinking.

Unvarnished truth

Poisonous alcoholic drinks are another common cause of death in Russia, claiming thousands of lives each year.

When drinking beer, Russian customers appreciate volume

Last Saturday, six people died in the city of Ulan-Ude after drinking an unknown alcoholic concoction. Five others were admitted to hospital.

Sometimes, it is home-made bootleg vodka that is to blame. Sometimes, it is cheap imported vodka. And sometimes it is even cheaper substitutes such as perfume, or even varnish.

At a conference in Moscow on Tuesday, officials complained about the rising volume of illegal, unlicensed alcohol produced in Russia - up to 40% or 50% of the total, according the head of a tax and investment centre for former Soviet republics, Vladimir Samoilenko.

Meanwhile, at a meeting of the Russian parliament's budget and tax committee, deputies deplored a 16% drop in official alcohol production during the first five months of the year.

Beer revolution

The deputy head of the committee, Gennady Kulik, blamed a 40% tax increase introduced by the government for the decline in market share suffered by the legal distillers - and deputies backed producers in protesting against a further 20% rise in duties planned for 2001.

One of the few encouraging signs of a change in Russian drinking habits is the increasing popularity of beer - traditionally regarded as a soft drink capable of providing refreshment on a hot day, but little else.

Analysts say the beer market has been growing at an average rate of 25% for the last three years, making it the fastest-growing beer market in the world.

But predictably, when drinking beer, Russian customers appreciate volume.

The most popular innovation of 1999 was the introduction of the plastic bottle, carrying a full 1.5 litres of "liquid bread".