Power Outages Hit Ukraine and Moldova Amid Severe Winter and Ongoing Conflict

Kyiv, Ukraine (JN) – Emergency power cuts swept across several Ukrainian cities and neighboring Moldova on Saturday, officials reported, compounding the hardship of an unusually harsh winter as Ukraine contends with ongoing Russian attacks on its infrastructure. The outages disrupted daily life in major urban centers, including the capitals Kyiv and Chisinau, affecting water supplies, transportation, and heating.

Ukraine’s Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal attributed the blackout to a technical malfunction on power lines connecting Ukraine and Moldova, which he said triggered a cascading failure across Ukraine’s electricity grid. “Automatic protection systems were activated,” he said, noting that regions including Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv experienced widespread outages.

In Kyiv, low voltage forced the temporary suspension of the subway system and interrupted water delivery, while Moldovan authorities confirmed significant disruptions in Chisinau and other areas. Moldova’s Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu urged calm, noting that electricity restoration was underway.

Winter Hardship Intensifies

The outages follow weeks of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy network, part of a campaign Ukrainian officials have described as “weaponizing winter.” Attacks have targeted electricity and heating infrastructure, leaving civilians exposed to extreme cold. Meteorological forecasts indicate temperatures could fall as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit) in some areas over the coming week, intensifying the humanitarian strain.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he requested a temporary pause in Russian strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian towns to help civilians endure the severe weather. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed Trump’s request, citing the pause as intended to create “favorable conditions for negotiations.” The scope and timing of the halt remain unclear.

Diplomatic Talks Continue Amid Skepticism

Negotiations involving U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian officials are scheduled for Feb. 1 in Abu Dhabi. Previous discussions in late January marked the first occasion U.S. officials met simultaneously with both Ukrainian and Russian representatives. Key obstacles remain, including disputes over occupied territories and Russia’s demands for additional land. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Moscow has shown little willingness to compromise.

Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy and logistics networks continued, although President Zelensky noted there were no strikes on key energy facilities overnight. Civilians in Kyiv expressed mixed reactions to the temporary pause in attacks. Many remain cautious, recalling years of disruption and destruction.

On the frozen banks of the Dnipro River, residents gathered to socialize, picnic, and enjoy outdoor activities despite homes lacking heating or electricity. Serhii Kupov, 57, said he doubted negotiations could achieve peace while Moscow maintains “unrealistic demands.” Albina Sokur, 35, who has endured nearly three weeks without heating, reflected on the ongoing instability, saying she hoped for peace but feared she might never return to her hometown of Donetsk.

The outages underscore the compounded challenges facing civilians in Ukraine and Moldova, where winter conditions and conflict continue to strain energy systems and daily life.