Power Cuts in Ukraine and Moldova
On Saturday, a widespread power outage hit Ukraine and temporarily left Kyiv without metro service and water supply, while also depriving parts of Moldova, a neighboring country, of electricity. The Ukrainian energy ministry explained that emergency cuts were necessary to prevent damage to equipment.
Restoration of Power
- By midday, the Ukrainian energy ministry announced that power supply had been restored for essential infrastructure in Kyiv, the capital region, and Dnipropetrovsk (central-east).
- Electricity was also restored in Odesa (south), Yarkiv (northeast), and Zhitomir (central).
Impact on Critical Infrastructure
The power outage affected the water supply in “all districts of Kyiv,” according to the municipal utility company Kyivvodokanal. Some areas in Moldova, located west of the Ukrainian border, also experienced power outages for several hours.
A “Partial Failure”
Kyiv attributes these massive cuts to a “technical failure” in the power lines connecting Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. The Moldovan energy minister, Dorin Junghietu, confirmed this.
Moldova generates its own energy but also imports it, mainly from Romania and Ukraine. Kyiv has not yet specified the possible causes of the failure, nor directly linked it to the ongoing Russian bombardments in the war that began nearly four years ago when Russia invaded Ukrainian territory.
Closure of the Metro
Due to the electricity shortage, Kyiv authorities announced a temporary and complete closure of the metro system, an unprecedented move since the Russian invasion in 2022. The metro network and its 52 stations served as shelters until power was restored, declared Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, in a Telegram message.
- By early afternoon, the city administration reported that metro traffic had resumed normally on its three lines.
- Emergency services in the capital stated they evacuated, along with police, 481 passengers trapped in trains that stopped during the blackout.
Irina Viktorivna, a Kyiv resident, believes these power outages won’t break the spirit of the people. “They try to intimidate us, but we won’t give in; we’re not afraid. It’s tough for us, but we’ll stay strong. Glory to Ukraine,” she told AFP in Kyiv’s metro.
