Moldova Suffered Blackouts After Russian Strikes on Ukraine

Moldova suffered massive blackouts lasting at least an hour after Russia’s latest missile attacks against Ukraine.

About 100 rockets were launched across Ukraine on Tuesday, hitting civilians and critical infrastructure. That affected its neighbor Moldova as one of its power lines was automatically disconnected as a safety measure.

“That led to massive power outages across the country,” Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu wrote in his Telegram channel. The line wasn’t damaged, and Spinu said later that electricity supplies have been restored in most localities.

“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine directly affects our country as well,” Spinu said. “Risks of power outages remain high. Any Russian strike against Ukrainian power plants may lead to a repeat of today’s situation.”

Moldova has suffered power shortages since October, when Russia’s air strikes started targeting power facilities in Ukraine that had supplied about 30% of its electricity. The situation worsened this month after Moldova didn’t sign a contract with its major power provider — a plant located in its pro-Russian separatist region — following a drop in Russian gas deliveries.

Moldova’s government has been securing power from Romania, but at much higher prices, as well as taking measures to reduce power consumption.

— With assistance by Olga Tanas