0 out of 25,000

Quality journalism takes work — and a community that cares.
Help us reach 25,000 members by the end of 2025.

News Feed

Russian media: Blackouts reported in Moscow following energy facility fire

2 min read
Russian media: Blackouts reported in Moscow following energy facility fire
The fire at a substation in Moscow on Jan. 4, 2024. (Mash/Telegram)

A fire erupted in a substation in Russia's capital on Jan. 4, causing electricity and heating outages in dozens of multi-story buildings amid freezing temperatures, Russian media reported.

The cause of the fire has not been reported. The incident took place only a few days after Russian attacks against Kyiv Oblast left 260,000 Ukrainian citizens temporarily without power.

The Russian Telegram news channel Mash reported that the fire erupted at a substation in northeastern Moscow at around 6 a.m. local time, causing outages in the municipal districts of Otradnoye, Bibirevo, as well as Northern and Southern Medvedkovo.

The temperature in the affected buildings had reportedly dropped to 10-15 degrees Celsius. According to Russian media, the night of Jan. 4 was the coldest in Moscow since the beginning of winter, with the temperatures dropping to minus 27.1 degrees.

At around 8:46, Mash reported that the fire had been extinguished and utility workers were working on site.

Most houses were switched to a backup circuit, the state-owned news agency RIA Novosti reported at around 9:10 a.m., adding that some 40 buildings will be connected within the next two hours.

‘I’m in shock:’ Russia’s mass attack on Kyiv shatters lives and dreams
Avatar
Martin Fornusek

Reporter

Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

Read more
News Feed
 (Updated:  )

U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll traveled to Abu Dhabi on Nov. 24 for negotiations with Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, and a Russian delegation, Driscoll's spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Tolbert, confirmed to Axios.

Show More