Hundreds of thousands of Russians are plunged into darkness after power outage as Ukraine launches drone attacks on Moscow
Hundreds of thousands of Russians were plunged into darkness due to a power outage following a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow.
Images from the Russian capital show that all tower blocks are unlit and street lights are out due to a widespread power outage.
More than 100,000 residents of Ramensky, Zhukovsky and Lytkarino were left without electricity in the middle of winter, according to Russian energy company PAO Rosseti.
Russia claims that the power outage occurred due to the automatic shutdown of a high-voltage power substation, but it is unclear whether this was the cause or the result of a Ukrainian drone strike.
Iuliia Mendel, former press secretary for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said: ‘A total power outage covering the Moscow region is being reported on social media.
‘More than 600,000 people were plunged into darkness for more than four hours; No electricity, no mobile signal, complete isolation. ‘A region-wide drone threat has now been declared.’
The number of Russian residents affected by the power outage has not yet been confirmed, but local reports indicate that the number could range from 100,000 to 600,000.
The power outage appears to have coincided with a series of brutal Ukrainian drone attacks in Moscow.
Hundreds of thousands of Russians were plunged into darkness due to a power outage after Ukraine launched a series of drone attacks on Moscow.
Images from the Russian capital show entire tower blocks without light and street lights out due to a widespread power outage.
More than 100,000 residents of Ramensky, Zhukovsky and Lytkarino were left without electricity in the middle of winter, according to Russian energy company PAO Rosseti
The Russian defense ministry said that Russian air defense units destroyed a total of 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, including three over the Moscow region, within three hours from 20:00 local time.
Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said on Telegram that 21 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the region during the day. As a result of the attack, 1 civilian was injured.
Reports on social media suggested that a large swarm of drones was heading towards the Russian capital.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin is said to have confirmed the seizure of several drones.
According to some reports, the drone attacks and subsequent power outage forced airports to suspend operations.
A social media account reported that the attack was the first time parts of Moscow lost power since the Ukrainian attack.
Another shared video footage showed mobile generators being brought to some areas in the Russian capital to restore electricity.
The video shows large trucks carrying large generators to dark areas of the city.
The strike came in the middle of winter, when a thick layer of snow covered the cold Moscow streets.
The reported attacks came a day after Russia accused Ukraine of trying to attack President Vladimir Putin’s residence without providing evidence.
The Russian defense ministry said that Russian air defense units destroyed a total of 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, including three over the Moscow region, within three hours from 20:00 local time.
Kiev has rejected the allegations as unfounded and said they were aimed at derailing peace talks in the war Russia launched against Ukraine nearly four years ago.
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Kiev and Washington are holding talks about the possibility of a US landing in Ukraine as part of security guarantees.
He also stated that he was willing to meet with Putin despite the deep lack of trust between them.
“I told President Trump, European leaders that I am ready for any meeting with Putin,” the Ukrainian President said.
‘I’m not afraid of any format. The important thing is that the Russians are not afraid.’
