Do this even make sense?

[Australovenator 1]

Russia Hardiness Zones map
Weird thing is in Smolensk Oblast (near Moscow) - a small spot of Zone 9b! Is it actually this way or it is a weird error?

[kinzyjr 3,680]

I would be very surprised if there was a 9b near Moscow.  Put a Royal Palm there and find out?

[UK_Palms 516]

Not a chance that is 9b. No way. 

That part of Russia gets down to -20F once or twice during a typical winter. And every couple of years they see -30F. In fact the record low for Smolensk is -36F (-37C). That site you linked actually lists Smolensk as being zone 5a at the bottom of the page. So they would also be zone 4 some winters. The average high for January is just 25F and the average low is 16F. Smolensk is actually colder than Toronto in terms of both averages and extreme lows.

I doubt they're 5a this winter though. Probably something like 7a. Smolensk and western Russia are having their record warmest winter this year, as is the rest of Europe, and the northern hemisphere in general to be honest.  It's no coincidence that North America, Europe and Siberia are all experiencing their warmest winter on record in numerous places.

[oasis371 81]

maybe in the local, Russian bathhouse

[Jimbean 388]

20 hours ago, Australovenator said:

Russia Hardiness Zones map
Weird thing is in Smolensk Oblast (near Moscow) - a small spot of Zone 9b! Is it actually this way or it is a weird error?

It is an error.  I've traveled around Russia a bit and Moscow is probably a zone 4 or 5 and Voronezh is something like a 5 or 6 and Samara is like a 5 lol

Sochi and Crimea I think have some zone 8 

[Australovenator 1]

1 hour ago, Jimbean said:

It is an error.  I've traveled around Russia a bit and Moscow is probably a zone 4 or 5 and Voronezh is something like a 5 or 6 and Samara is like a 5 lol

Sochi and Crimea I think have some zone 8 

Sochi is 9a.

Screenshot:

How is it possible?

[SailorBold 461]

Zone Bomba

[JLM 393]

According to google maps street view, negatory. 9b does not exist.