Hundreds of thousands of Russians have been plunged into darkness due to a power outage after Ukraine launched a series of drone strikes on Moscow.
Footage emerging from the Russian capital has shown entire tower blocks without light and dead street lamps due to the widespread blackout.
According to the Russian power company PAO Rosseti, over 100,000 residents of Ramensky, Zhukovsky, and Lytkarino have now been left without electricity in the dead of winter.
Russia claims the power outage occurred due to an automatic shutdown at a high-voltage electricity substation, though it is unclear whether this was the cause or if it resulted from a Ukrainian drone strike.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s former press secretary, Iuliia Mendel, said: ‘Total blackout hits Moscow region is reported on social media.
‘Over 600,000 people plunged into darkness for more than four hours — no electricity, no mobile signal, total isolation. Drone threat declared across the oblast right now.’
The number of Russian residents affected by the blackout remains unverified, but local reports have indicated that the number may range from 100,000 to 600,000.
The blackout appears to have coincided with a series of brutal drone strikes launched by Ukraine at Moscow.
Russia’s air defence units destroyed a total of 27 Ukrainian drones in the three hours starting at 8pm local time, including three over the Moscow region, the Russian defence ministry said.
Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the Moscow region, said on Telegram that 21 Ukrainian drones were downed during the day over the region. One civilian was injured as a result of the attack.
Reports on social media suggested a large swarm of drones was seen heading for the Russian capital.
Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow’s mayor, is said to have confirmed that several unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted.
According to some reports, the drone strikes and subsequent blackout have forced airports to suspend operations.
One social media account reports the attack marks the first time parts of Moscow have lost power after a Ukrainian strike.
Another shared video footage of mobile generators being brought into some districts in the Russian capital to restore power.
Video shows large trucks hauling the bulky generators into the darkened sections of the city.
The strike came in the dead of winter with a thick layer of snow covering the frigid Moscow streets.
The reported attacks came a day after Russia accused Ukraine, without providing evidence, of trying to attack President Vladimir Putin’s residence.
Kyiv dismissed the allegations as baseless and aimed at derailing peace talks in the war that Russia launched against Ukraine nearly four years ago.
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Kyiv and Washington were in discussions about the possibility of US boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of security guarantees.
He also said he was willing to meet with Putin despite the deep lack of mutual trust between them.
‘I told President Trump, European leaders, I am ready for any format of meeting with Putin,’ the Ukrainian president said.
‘I am not afraid of any format. The main thing is for Russians not to be afraid.’
