Frost and darkness: disruptions in Russia without any blows
The number of large-scale power and heating outages is growing in Russia, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without heat during severe frosts. This was reported by The New York Times.
According to the newspaper, the problem is not related to the hostilities, but to the ongoing degradation of the utility and energy infrastructure.
Details
According to the NYT, from December to February, more than ten major blackouts and heat supply failures were recorded in different regions of Russia.
The article notes that a significant part of the networks is worn out, and funding for their modernisation has been postponed for years. At the same time, public spending is increasingly directed to the war.
Residents of some cities complain of long heating outages during periods of abnormal cold weather.
Evidence from the field
The NYT quotes residents of Murmansk who compare the situation to frontline conditions.
«Ukraine is left in the dark because it is being bombed by Russia. In Murmansk, it's the same, but no one is even bombing us,» the newspaper quoted one of the local residents as saying.
Context.
Russia's utility infrastructure was largely built during the Soviet era and needs to be modernised on a large scale.
Experts warn that without systemic investment, the number of accidents in winter could increase, especially in northern regions with harsh climates.
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