Criminal Case Opened After Murmansk and Severomorsk Blackout

In Murmansk Oblast, a criminal case has been initiated following a large-scale power outage in several settlements, including Murmansk and the closed town of Severomorsk.

According to investigators, on 23 January 2026, a sharp voltage drop occurred, leaving residential buildings and critical infrastructure facilities without power.

The cause of the accident, according to the preliminary version, is that officials of the grid organization did not maintain power lines in a timely manner and did not take urgent measures after the first emergency outages. The criminal case is being investigated under the article «Negligence». It is being handled by the department for investigating particularly important cases of the regional investigative department.

Now, an investigative group has been established. Investigators and forensic experts are working at the scene, seizing documents and other evidence. During the investigation, it will be checked how timely and effectively the electrical networks were maintained, how quickly the responsible services responded to worsening weather and accidents, and how the consequences of the outages were addressed.

Recall that in Murmansk Oblast, a state of heightened readiness was introduced due to the power outage. This decision was made at a meeting of the operational headquarters. On the streets of Murmansk, lighting was temporarily turned off.

In the press service of Rosseti Severo-Zapad, it was reported that the cause of the outage was a technological disruption on an overhead power line. The prosecutor«s office of Murmansk Oblast has already begun an investigation due to the mass power outages.