Berlin power outage hits 45,000 homes after suspected arson attack

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/03/berlin-power-outage-hits-homes-suspected-arson-attack

The extensive damage means that about 35,000 households will be without electricity until Thursday afternoon, Berlin authorities said in a statement. Power should be restored to other homes by early Sunday.

73 points · 15 comments · view on lemmy.world

15 Comments

Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 237d (8 replies)

What do the idiots who do shit like this hope to achieve?

rumschlumpel@feddit.org · 27 pts · 237d (3 replies)

Reportedly, Russia has staged quite a few sabotage acts in Germany in the last few years. So, what do these idiots hope to achieve? A paycheck.

I have to admit that I'm not fully clear on what Russia tries to achieve with these, they aren't that good at making us believe that it's been some local group (which they definitely tried to a couple of times) and the acts aren't really big enough to sway the German government on sanctions.

Successful_Try543@feddit.org · 11 pts · 237d

I have to admit that I'm not fully clear on what Russia tries to achieve with these

At least they are gathering information on the infrastructure:

  • Is it redundant?
  • How long does it take to fix it?
  • the impact, i.e.: How many homes, offices, companies, critical infrastructure (e.g. hospitals) are affected?
Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 6 pts · 237d

Russia tries to intimidate us

atro_city@fedia.io · 4 pts · 237d

There's no way Russia does not have ties to this.

HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 16 pts · 237d (1 reply)

Its hybrid warfare from russia

Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 237d

I'd reserve judgement until there is actual evidence. But it's a plausible assumption, of course.

jagermo@feddit.org · 15 pts · 237d

The Guardian has an interesting article around a kind of."Gig economy sabotage" driven by Putins secret services.

Worth a read, because that fire fits well into it, even if there is no concrete proof yet

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2025/may/04/these-people-are-disposable-how-russia-is-using-online-recruits-for-a-campaign-of-sabotage-in-europe

trollercoaster@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 237d

Apparently some radical "environmentalist" group claims responsibility, something something fossil fuels.

Well done, idiots.

atro_city@fedia.io · 11 pts · 237d (3 replies)

Just how bad is Germany at redundancy? In 2022 just 2 fiber optic cables had to be cut to put the entire German railway in northern Germany out of commission (source).

Maybe Russia should cut more cables to expose the faults in Germany's infrastructure. It's hilarious.

Wrufieotnak@feddit.org · 8 pts · 237d

Redundwhat? Sounds like it would cost money. So let's give the contract to the cheapest bidder and be done. ... What do you mean the cost exploded because the cheapest bidder didn't calculate correctly and also just ignored some costs?

AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 237d (1 reply)

Public infrastructure typically isn't designed with Russian sabotage in mind, you know. Although maybe nowadays it ought to be.

atro_city@fedia.io · 4 pts · 237d

It doesn't have to be sabotage resistant, it has to be disaster resistant. A single backup line is a joke. With a nationwide fiber network, there would be thousands of backup lines. A single one speaks volumes about German investment in infrastructure.

verdi@feddit.org · -4 pts · 237d (1 reply)

Manufacturing consent, one step at a time!

antonim@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 237d

What?