ISTANBUL

Berlin drew widespread international media attention after a suspected sabotage attack left parts of the city without electricity for days.

Media reports said a fire damaged high-voltage power cables near the Lichterfelde gas-fired power plant in southwest Berlin, cutting electricity, heating, and hot water to large parts of the city during sub-zero winter temperatures.

Around 45,000 households and more than 2,000 businesses were affected, with up to 100,000 residents impacted at the peak of the outage.

Britain’s The Guardian said the blackout stirred public anger and disbelief, with residents questioning how a single act of arson could plunge the German capital into darkness for days.

The paper highlighted scenes of emergency shelters set up in sports halls, volunteers distributing hot drinks and blankets, and the deployment of the military to assist with logistics and fuel supplies.

The BBC reported that Berliners resorted to camping stoves, candles, and battery-powered radios as authorities worked to restore power in stages. The broadcaster said emergency services from across Germany were mobilized, while hospitals relied on backup generators and some schools were forced to close.

According to The Financial Times, the outage exposed structural weaknesses in Germany’s energy and infrastructure security, reviving long-running debates about underinvestment in resilience.

The business daily said the incident was being widely interpreted as a wake-up call for policymakers, particularly as the German capital plays a central role in European politics, diplomacy, and security.

A far-left group calling itself Volcano Group claimed responsibility for the attack in online statements, saying it targeted the fossil fuel industry rather than trying to disrupt civilian life.

Several media outlets noted that the group apologized to less wealthy residents while criticizing what it described as Germany’s dependence on fossil energy. German authorities, however, said they were still assessing the credibility and origin of the claims.

French broadcaster BFMTV reported that German federal prosecutors are treating the case as a potential terrorism-related offense. They are examining suspected crimes including terrorist group membership, sabotage and arson, underlining the seriousness with which the authorities view the incident.

CNN said the blackout disrupted not only homes and businesses but also transport and communications, with some rail services suspended and cellphone networks affected in parts of the city. The news channel also reported that officials urged residents to limit electricity use as supply was gradually restored, warning against overloading the system.

Spain’s Cadena SER also pointed to the scale of the disruption, stressing that tens of thousands of people were left without electricity across Germany’s capital as temperatures remained below freezing.

Jan. 3 attack

Following the Jan. 3 sabotage of electricity cables in Berlin, around 100,000 people in the city’s southwest experienced one of the longest power outages since World War II, leaving residents without electricity and heating for days during winter.

By the fifth day after the attack, electricity provider Stromnetz Berlin said power had been fully restored to all affected subscribers.

During the outage, an 83-year-old woman was found dead in her home. Police said it remains unclear whether her death was caused by a fall or underlying health issues, and an autopsy has been ordered.