There's been a massive power outage in the Novgorod region. People are without power and heat for two to three days.
According to the regional Ministry of Housing and Public Utilities, as of 9:00 a.m. on February 3, 94 overhead power lines were out in 14 districts. 566 settlements, home to 22,5 residents, remain without power.
Novgorod A branch of Rosseti North-West posted a comment on the VKontakte page "Emergency 53 Veliky Novgorod. News":
«Due to a powerful cyclone with wet snow passing through the Novgorod region on February 1, 2025, high-voltage power lines were damaged in several districts. As temperatures dropped, the wet snow turned to ice. Under its weight, trees and branches broke and fell onto power lines from outside their protection zones. The weight of the ice also stretched and tore wires. This caused repeated and further outages.
Commentators are outraged and demanding punishment from authorities at all levels:
"The New Mill at Gardens-4 hasn't even blinked in two days. It looks like they're not even trying to fix it."
"They should have taken the governor to a village without light and heat, so he could have looked the local residents in the eye, the liar."
"It's high time to kick out such leaders, but they spend millions on banquets."
The Novgorod Region administration's Telegram channel reported that a state of heightened readiness had been declared "due to the consequences of severe weather conditions." Residents were assured that power workers were working around the clock to restore the grid until the disaster's consequences were fully resolved, and were urged to "call the Unified Dispatch Service at 112 if they record new power outages or have any other questions."