On 18 January in Sumy, following power cuts caused by Russian shelling, some of the facilities operated by the municipal utility «Miskvodokanal» were left without electricity. The company was switched to emergency backup power: water was supplied to residents according to a schedule at reduced pressure. The Sumy City Council and Sumyoblenergo JSC announced the restrictions.
Briefly about the main points
- Water supply restrictions were in place in Sumy on 18–19 January.
- This was caused by damage to energy infrastructure resulting from shelling by the Russian Federation.
- The water utility has switched to emergency backup power.
- Water was supplied in the evening and in the morning at reduced pressure.
- Normal operations depended on the stability of the electricity supply.
Water was supplied at set times
A report identical to the one given in the article relates to events on 18–19 January 2026. At the time, the Sumy City Council stated that, due to Russian aggression and power supply disruptions, some of the facilities operated by the municipal utility «Miskvodokanal» had been left without power.
According to the schedule, water was supplied on 18 January from 17:00 to 22:00, and the following morning from 05:00 to 10:00. The water pressure in the network was low. The city council reported that once the situation had stabilised, the water supply would resume as normal.
This was caused by emergency power cuts
Sumyoblenergo JSC attributed the emergency power cuts to damage to power infrastructure caused by of Russian shelling. Power company staff were investigating the causes of the accident and dealing with its aftermath.
As of 16:45 on 18 January, the water utility’s facilities had been switched to emergency backup power. This made it possible to resume the water supply, albeit on a limited basis. Consequently, the restrictions were due to the water utility’s power supply, rather than a reported fault on the water main itself.
The impact of the strikes on the community
On that day, four strikes by Russian drones were recorded in the Sumy community, according to «Dancor Online». Three adults and a child were injured; the child was hospitalised.
According to the publication, previous strikes damaged residential buildings, power lines and a gas pipeline. Water supply disruptions in this situation highlighted the practical dependence of the city’s water supply system on a stable power supply: backup capacity made it possible to maintain the service, but only on an hourly basis.
