Russia’s energy war against Ukraine is no longer local. On January 31, metro stopped in Kharkiv and Kyiv, and tens of thousands of homes were left without electricity, heating, and water. At the same time, parts of neighboring Moldova were also plunged into a blackout.
What happened on January 31 and why did it affect neighboring countries?
At 10:42 a.m., a technological disruption occurred in Ukraine’s power system amid Russian strikes, says Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Significant voltage fluctuations were recorded, prompting authorities to urge people to unplug electrical appliances.
“Simultaneously, the 400 kV power line between the Romanian and Moldovan energy systems and the 750 kV lines between western and central Ukraine were disconnected,” Shmyhal explains.
The incident led to cascading outages in Ukraine’s power grid and triggered automatic protection systems at substations. Power units at nuclear power plants were unloaded. The unloading of nuclear power plant units due to cascading failures is an alarming signal.
Currently, special emergency blackout schedules have been implemented by dispatchers in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv oblasts. Energy workers at Ukrenergo are working to restore power supply. Electricity is expected to be restored within the next few hours.
President Zelenskyy also responded to the power outages
The Ukrainian president has already contacted First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal regarding the emergency situation in Ukraine’s energy system.
“All necessary response measures at the level of Ukraine’s energy system are in place. Restoration work is ongoing. The task is to stabilize the situation as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy says.
Freezing temperatures are only beginning
In the coming days, temperatures are expected to drop to –20 °C or –4 °F. The week-long energy truce between Russia and Ukraine will end tomorrow, meaning Russian strikes on energy infrastructure will continue alongside the suffering of civilians.
