'Russians are to blame' — Moldovans react to mass power outage after Moldova-Ukraine line malfunction
Moldova suffered a major power outage on Jan. 31, leaving most of its capital without electricity in the morning and halting trolleybuses and traffic lights.
Parts of Moldova experienced power disruptions when Ukraine reported "a cascade shutdown" in its power grid due to technical malfunctions on high-voltage lines connecting the two countries' power systems. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said transmission lines between Romania and Moldova, as well as between western and central Ukraine, were disrupted.
Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban urged residents to remain calm after reporting widespread power outages across the capital at around 11 a.m. local time.
The Ukrainian authorities are still vague about the exact cause of the disruption. Kyiv has ruled out a cyberattack.
Moldova's Energy Ministry wrote on Facebook that the voltage on the 400 kiloWatt Isaccea–Vulcanesti–MGRES line had dropped at around 11 a.m. local time, disrupting the country's electrical system.
The ministry said the drop was caused by the Ukrainian energy system facing “serious problems,” adding that Moldova’s state-owned transmission system operator, Moldelectrica, has already restored power supply in some locations.
Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine is enduring "a significant power shortage" as Russia ramps up its energy blitz, targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure with missiles and drones.
The Kyiv Independent asked five Moldovans about their experiences during the power outage and whether it has affected their perception of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Ludmila Botnaru, Chisinau-based actor:
"At my house, we had no electricity at 11 a.m., but then it came back. At the theater, we had no electricity, but then it came back. We weren’t sure whether we would be able to play tonight, but we were told electricity would get back.
"Russians – who else – are to blame for this."
Doina Bejenaru, a local resident in Chisinau:
"I have electricity in my flat, but half of my neighbourhood doesn't – you can’t even make a coffee. I am now at the supermarket, and it is full. But further up, the other supermarkets don’t have electricity and aren't working.
"Who’s to blame for this? Russians are bombing – they are bombarding Ukrainian energy infrastructure."
Ana Lungu, a local resident in Chisinau:
"We have not had any electricity for four hours, since 10.30 a.m. I had put food in the oven, but then switched to gas. My kid had some TV detox. Our heating was on – we have a centralized system.
"Of course, the Russians are to blame for this. Or maybe our government tried to show us how Ukrainians feel - I am, of course, joking."
Serghei Cerneavschi, a local resident in Criuleni:
"It affects me, how does it not? I have a fridge, TV… I haven’t had electricity since the morning. Our government is to blame for this, god damn it! They cut electricity to save money. They always blame the Russians and the war in Ukraine. But it’s them! Guys from Orhei, Ciorescu called me to tell me they have no power either. They say there will be electricity around 3 p.m., but I can see how they will only connect us by 6 p.m."
Raisa Cojocaru, a local resident in Mindic:
"We haven’t had electricity for an hour. These things happen – it’s no big problem. Who’s to blame? I don’t know. There are many provocations now, that’s what my son told me, so I stay away from commenting. I try to think positively. The prime minister and the president are not to blame. It would have been bad if the electricity had been cut in kindergartens, but on a Saturday it’s okay.
"I don’t even want to think about the connection to the war in Ukraine. I pray to God that the war ends."
