Wow, that happened to me recently at VKO 3! Our plane had been parked in the hangar. I had asked them to tow us out just before we would go to prevent any accumulation of snow on our wings. When we were ready for startup I made a final outside check and also touched both wings. As it was snowing really, really slightly we had a few tiny frozen droplets on our outer wings, the rest was clear and clean. As we were about to flip the engine start switch a guy from the ground staff came waving and made some gestures that we would have to de-ice. I denied that and even disembarked quickly to talk to him. He did not speak a single word of English. I told him that we are the flight crew and that we are ultimately responsible for the safety of the flight and that it is not his decision, but ours. He would not give up. They would not let us go, they were keen to make some money. Our handling agent finally came by and translated. He told us that they had orders to not let anyone go without de-icing in active snowfall. To cut this nonsense short I agreed to a Type I only de-icing, but they also refused it and insisted on a 2 step de-icing/anti-icing with Type IV. There's nothing you can do, in Russia you don't have any power to decide in Russia, it was shocking. Bloody bastards.