Ukraine: Mass Power Outages Hit Kyiv and Moldova Amid Grid Failure

Ukraine’s power grid suffered widespread blackouts on January 31, 2026, due to a technical failure in high-voltage transmission lines linking Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania. Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Smilh announced that at 10:42 AM (EET), a fault simultaneously disrupted the 400 kV line connecting Romania and Moldova and the 750 kV line linking western and central Ukraine. At least three regions—including the capital Kyiv—faced emergency outages. Kyiv Metro temporarily suspended operations due to power loss, halting trains and escalators. Moldova was also severely affected: Chisinau and other areas lost electricity after voltage drops triggered by the Ukrainian grid failure. Moldovan officials reported non-functional traffic lights and widespread blackouts across the capital. Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been repeatedly targeted in Russian missile strikes for months, leading to chronic power restrictions nationwide.