Emergency power cuts affected various cities in Ukraine and Moldova on Saturday due to technical issues with power lines connecting the two countries. The Energy Ministers of Ukraine and Moldova, Denys Shmyhal and Dorin Junghietu, respectively, confirmed the outages. The power failure led to blackouts in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv regions, disrupting water supplies and the subway system in Kyiv.
Moldova also experienced significant power outages, including in the capital, Chisinau, as a result of the power line failure in Ukraine. The Ukrainian government urged calm among the population until electricity was restored.
The power disruptions came after weeks of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, exacerbating existing power shortages. The severe winter conditions have intensified the situation, with temperatures dropping to -30°C in some areas, causing widespread hardship. Amid the extreme weather, U.S. President Donald Trump secured a temporary pause in strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian towns from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Negotiations involving U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian officials are scheduled in Abu Dhabi next week, following previous talks in late January. Key issues hindering a peace agreement include disagreements over Ukrainian territory and Moscow’s territorial demands. Despite the pause in energy asset strikes, Russia continued targeting Ukrainian logistics networks and residential areas.
While Trump viewed Putin’s agreement as a positive step, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remained cautious, expressing doubts about Russia’s intentions to end the conflict. The skepticism was shared by many Ukrainians in Kyiv, who gathered along the frozen Dnipro River amid power outages, showcasing resilience in the face of adversity.
Residents like Serhii Kupov and Albina Sokur expressed skepticism about achieving peace through negotiations, citing Russia’s unrealistic demands and the prolonged conflict’s toll on their daily lives. Sokur, a mother from Donetsk, occupied by Russia in 2014, emphasized the need for a lasting resolution to the conflict to ensure stability and a return to normalcy for affected communities.