Massive blackout hits Russia's Far East, millions left in the dark

Almost 2 million people are without power in Russia. The outage occurred in the Far East, and Vladivostok is particularly affected. In many places, there is no internet or functional traffic lights, and there is a lack of light. People are stuck in elevators and trains. What happened there?

In the affected area, there is no power in Vladivostok or the towns of Fokino, Nakhodka, Artem, Barabash, and Ussuriysk. According to the Moscow Times, up to 1.8 million people, almost the entire region, may be without power. In the district's capital alone, the problem affects about 2,000 buildings.

Regional authorities reported a power outage in the Far Eastern Distribution Company's networks. They indicated a short circuit at the State District Power Plant in Luchegorsk. Authorities added that no "explosions or external threats" were found on site. Restoring power after the outage may take several hours.

According to Primamedia, after the power outage, residents of Primorye had problems with mobile internet. ATMs and traffic lights are also not working in the region. Many towns have experienced accidents due to the lack of functioning traffic lights. Elevators are also not operational.

Videos on social media showed people trying to escape electric trains; the local railway suspended services. The airport is operating normally, and hospitals have switched to emergency power.

Just before the outage, training was conducted to prepare for an emergency situation related to the shutdown of high-voltage lines.

Primorsky Krai is the southeasternmost part of Russia. It borders China to the west and North Korea to the south. The Trans-Siberian Railway runs through the region and ends its route here.