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Malaga (Spain) prepares to host Seatrade Cruise Med after successful Seatrade Cruise Global

The Malaga delegation emphasized its upcoming hosting of the international cruise fair in the Mediterranean during the Seatrade Cruise Global event...

Hamburg's cruise industry sets record with 1.2+ million passengers in 2023

In 2023, Hamburg experienced a record number of cruise passengers, with 1,204,089 embarking on cruises from the port, up from 785,000 in 2022. This...

RCI-Royal Caribbean revives operations in China, plans second ship by 2025

RCI-Royal Caribbean International is set to resume cruises for the Chinese market this weekend after a nearly 4-year hiatus, with plans to introduce...

Norovirus outbreaks affect ~200 passengers on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean ships

Nearly 200 individuals fell ill due to norovirus outbreaks aboard Princess Cruises and RCI-Royal Caribbean International ships. According to the...

Hard Rock/Seminole and RCG/Royal Caribbean Group signed global partnership

Hard Rock International, Seminole Gaming, and Royal Caribbean Group brands, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, have announced a...

Oceania Cruises unveils exquisite 2025 Mediterranean sailings

Oceania Cruises, renowned for its culinary and destination-focused approach to cruising, has unveiled an enticing lineup of new 2025 Mediterranean...

Sailors are invited to join 2nd annual "Virgin Celebration Voyage"

Virgin Voyages is extending a special invitation to fans of the Virgin brand and loyal passengers/Sailors to partake in the company’s second...

Celebrity Ascent embarks on European debut from Barcelona (Spain)

Celebrity Cruises’ latest addition, the Celebrity Ascent, is preparing for her inaugural sailing in Europe following her arrival in Barcelona...

Aurora Expeditions announces expanded 2025-2026 season

Aurora Expeditions (fleet), a renowned Australian-owned adventure travel company celebrated for its immersive and responsible exploration, has...

Celebrity Cruises ships Reflection and Beyond made first calls at CocoCay Bahamas

In recent years, CocoCay Bahamas has emerged as a beloved destination for RCI-Royal Caribbean’s ships. However, until this week, it had...

RCI-Royal Caribbean starts construction of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island (Nassau Bahamas)

RCI-Royal Caribbean International and The Bahamas inaugurated a new venture on April 22 as construction commenced on Royal Beach Club Paradise Island...

Norway's Trondheim Port Authority secures funding for cruise ship shore power

Trondheim Port Authority (TPA) has received a government allocation of Nkr 20 million (EUR 1.7 million) to implement shore power for cruise ships at...

Carnival Firenze christened in Port Long Beach/LA by Jonathan Bennett

Actor Jonathan Bennett was honored with the title of honorary Italian during the ceremony at Long Beach/LA California on Wednesday evening, April...

RCI-Royal Caribbean cancels May cruises to Labadee Haiti amid escalating security concerns

Amid escalating security concerns in Haiti, RCI-Royal Caribbean has extended its cancellation of all scheduled cruises to Labadee Haiti throughout...

NCL and Fincantieri mark milestone with float out of Norwegian Aqua

NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line and Fincantieri celebrated the float out of Norwegian Aqua at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard on Tuesday, April 23...

Latest Cruise News

The latest cruise news. Dive into the top cruise industry stories, breaking news, expert analysis, and insightful interviews. 

Sun Princess Christened in Barcelona by Hannah Waddingham, Princess Cruises [PHOTOS]

Construction Starts for Royal Caribbean’s Private Beach Club in Nassau

Princess Introduces New Sanctuary Collection on Sun Princess and Star Princess

Norwegian’s Next Cruise Ship Floated Out at Shipyard

MSC and Mercy Ships To Build State-of-the-Art Hospital Vessel

New Consumer Law Mandates Clear Pricing for Cruise Lines

Carnival Cracks Down on Unsanctioned Poolside Gambling During Cruise

Gastro Outbreak Hits Luxury Cruise Ship

Four MSC Ships Will Cruise from North America next Summer

Cruise Line Adds “Glacier Day” to Its Alaskan Cruise Itineraries

Next Norwegian Ship Will Sail with New Restaurants

Third Disney Cruise Staffer Arrested for Possession of Underage Images

Coast Guard Airlifts Pregnant Passenger from Disney Ship

Carnival Reminds Cruisers VIFP Does NOT Include This Perk

Carnival Mardi Gras Crew Honored for Rescuing 16 People at Sea

Search Halted for Crew Member Who Jumped from Cruise Ship

Search for Missing Cruise Passenger in Cozumel Transitions to Recovery

Princess Cruises Rolls Out More Flexible Dining Options

Here’s Why Carnival Can Enter Your Stateroom Even With a ‘Do Not Disturb’ Sign

Cruise Line Introduces 4 New Shows and Region-Specific Entertainment

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Villa Vie Residences, which is launching a startup cruise brand

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Oceania Cruises announced new 2025 Mediterranean itineraries, ranging from nine

After completing its winter 2023-24 program in Tampa, the Carnival

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The Isles of Scilly welcomed their first call of 2024

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Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and NCL TV Channels (Full Listing)

There’s no one that goes on a cruise to sit around and watch TV, but sometimes it can be a great activity. After a day in the sun and humidity of the Caribbean, we’ll admit that we love nothing more than to chill out in a cool cabin, watching some television or Netflix .

We also know that we are not alone. That’s why we’ve rounded up the channel listings for two of the biggest cruise lines: Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

Below we have full details on the channel listings. One thing to keep in mind is that we’ve never seen the same channels twice on a cruise line. It seems to be that the offerings vary regularly and from ship to ship.

Therefore the channel listings below should give you an idea of what’s available, but could be different from what you see on your cruise.

What to Know About TV Channels on a Cruise

If you want the full run-down of what to expect from television on a cruise ship, then see our guide here . In general, however, you should set your expectations a little lower than what you might see on land.

Cruise ships typically have a couple of dozen channels, and most of those are related to the cruise itself. There are often channels for port shopping, a guide to what’s going on around the ship, safety channels and more.

Then there are typically channels that you won’t recognize showing everything from kids programming to movies. The number of well-known stations (e.g. ESPN, Travel Channel, Discovery, etc.) can usually be counted on one hand. Local broadcast channels such as ABC, CBS, or NBC aren’t available either.

To give you an idea of what to expect, here are the channel listings from a recent cruise for two major cruise lines: Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

Note: TV lineups seem to change slightly every time you sail. The channels available and the order may vary for your cruise.

Carnival Cruise TV Channel Listings

You can see that there aren’t a ton of channels on Carnival — just about two dozen. In fact, many of the biggest cable channels aren’t available at all, like ESPN. Don’t worry though, if there is a big game you want to watch, it will be shown somewhere on the ship — most likely the SKYBOX Sports Bar that’s on many ships or the casino.

As for the rest of the stations, you have things like Nickelodeon for the kids, Discovery, Travel Channel, and some additional cable channels. Much of the rest is a ton of cruise line-specific stations. Also, the channels start at 11 instead of 2, like you would see on land. Notably absent are any networks like ABC or NBC.

Here are all of Carnival’s TV channels from a recent cruise:

• Channel 11: Channel Guide
• Channel 13: Safety Information
• Channel 14: Cruise Life TV
• Channel 15: Cruise Live TV 2
• Channel 16: Carnival Adventures
• Chanel 17: Choose Shopping
• Channel 18: Choose Fun Ashore
• Channel 19: Ocean View
• Channel 20: Complimentary Movie 1
• Channel 21: Complimentary Movie 2
• Channel 22: CBSN
• Channel 23: TCM
• Channel 24: Cartoon Network
• Channel 25: Nickelodeon
• Channel 26: HGTV
• Channel 27: Food Network
• Channel 28: Travel Channel
• Channel 29: Discovery Channel
• Channel 30: Good to Know
• Channel 31: What’s Happening (Audible)
• Channel 32: Map Channel
• Channel 33: Forward Camera View
• Channel 34: Lido Camera View
• Channel 35: Music Channel

Royal Caribbean Cruise TV Channel Listings

The TV channel lineup on Royal Caribbean is similar to Carnival in that the list is relatively short, along with a number of stations you won’t find anywhere and/or are related to the cruise.

One thing to note is that we find Royal Caribbean to offer more sports programming such as ESPN compared to Carnival. As well, it seems that during football season more games are fed into the cabin TV, allowing you to watch while at sea.

• Channel 1: Royal Entertainment
• Channel 2: Cruise Compass
• Channel 3: On the Map
• Channel 4: Peek-a-Boo TV (Kids 3 and under)
• Channel 5: Junior Cruisers
• Channel 6: Teens Stream
• Channel 7: Health and Safety Channel
• Channel 8: BBC World News
• Channel 9: MSNBC
• Channel 10: Fox News
• Channel 11: NextCruise
• Channel 12: Shore Excursions
• Channel 13: Shopping Ashore
• Channel 14: Daily Deals
• Channel 15: Prime One
• Channel 16: Prime Favorites
• Channel 17: National Geographic
• Channel 18: BBC HD
• Channel 19: Movies Now and Then
• Channel 20: Red Bull TV
• Channel 21: 21
• Channel 22: ESPN (International Feed)
• Channel 23: TVE International
• Channel 24: 24
• Channel 25: Music Videos
• Channel 26: Special Events/Music
• Channel 27: Music Only A
• Channel 28: Music Only B
• Channel 29: Music Only C

Note: We’ve noticed that channel listings change often on Royal Caribbean. We have been on cruises where ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, and SEC Network are all available, while they aren’t available on others.

Norwegian (NCL) Cruise Line TV Channel Listings

Like its rivals Royal Caribbean and Carnival, NCL has a lineup that’s a bit different than what you’d see on land.

As you can see, most channels are content for the cruise line and the ship. Meanwhile, MSNBC, Fox News, and CNBC are the only widely-known U.S. cable channels in the lineup.

The movie channels do show recent release movies 24 hours per day. Sports 24 features international sporting events from nightly NBA games to cricket matches in Australia.

• Channel 10: Safety Channel
• Channel 11: Ship Info
• Channel 12: Bridge Cam
• Channel 13: ShorEx/CruiseNext
• Channel 14: Feel Free
• Channel 15: Port Info Channel
• Channel 16: Activities Channel
• Channel 17: Onboard Offerings
• Channel 18: Shopping Channel
• Channel 19: SkyToday
• Channel 20: Sky TV
• Channel 21: Action Movies
• Channel 22: Drama Movies
• Channel 23: Comedy Movies
• Channel 24: Family Movies
• Channel 26: BBC
• Channel 27: MSNBC
• Channel 28: CNBC
• Channel 29: Fox News
• Channel 30: Sport24
• Channel 31: Prime Journeys
• Channel 32: Special Feed

Bottom Line on TV on a Cruise

While no one goes on a cruise specifically for TV, you should still know that if you do want to relax and watch some of the tube, the options are somewhat limited. 

Given the lack of channels, we suggest bringing your own device to allow you to watch any movies or TV. Most shops offer streaming if you get the premium Internet package. As well, Netflix and other services allow you to download shows beforehand to watch without a connection.

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You have Fox but not MSNBC. No thanks

On Royal Caribbean: Only channel worth watching is TBS but it’s only in Spanish?? Ridiculous! Oceanview Channel would be nice (since our cabin doesn’t even have a window) but it’s not on the lineup. Oh well, guess I’ll just play my iPod/speaker in the room. :-/

Shame on you Carnival!! We are platinum with you and have always sang praises about Carnival but maybe not so much now. You are not going to miss out on casino or drink money just because you have 3 major networks tv in cabins Really Carnival we didn’t expect this from you!!!. None of the other lines have done this. Maybe time to look at Oceania, NCL RCCL,HAL,Celebirty????

Carnival dropped all the network channels for cabin TVs in January. They never said why, but many people believe it’s another cutback. They’ve had a lot of those recently, including the quality of the food in the MDR.

Sorry to tell you, but carnival has apparently dropped all network TV channels. No explanation was given.

That certainly seems to be the case from what we are hearing.

No network tv on royal. bummer!

I was recently on the Liberty and they didn’t have all of those channels in our rooms; the sports bars had local(?) channels and ESPN, but all of the feed from TBS, TNT and TCM were from the Spanish Latin American feed. Not that I’m complaining; I wasn’t there to watch TV the entire time, it jut made for a nice reprieve.

I enjoy watching some tv right before going to bed. I just wish the connections were better. The last cruise, the channels kept going in and out.

We didn’t have that issue, but our last cruise the remote barely worked. Had to press the channel button three times before it registered!

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Nearly 100 Passengers Fall Ill With Stomach Virus on Princess Cruise

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Watch Tom Cruise Help a Photographer Who Falls Down While On Way to Victoria Beckham's Birthday Party

Victoria beckham piggybacks david after spice girls reunite and sing at her 50th b-day, 'rhoc' alum taylor armstrong reacts to shannon beador and john janssen-alexis bellino romance drama, why da'vine joy randolph has her awards season trophies packed away (exclusive), joe alwyn 'not in touch' with taylor swift following 'tortured poets' release (source), anthony ramos & reba mcentire on getting emotional over 'the voice' singers' 'heartbreaking' stories, matthew mcconaughey makes rare red carpet appearance with all 3 kids, jon bon jovi is leaving another tour ‘up to god’ as he recovers from vocal cord surgery (exclusive), king charles returning to royal duties amid cancer battle, colman domingo reacts to rumors he'll replace jonathan majors as mcu's kang (exclusive), ellen degeneres addresses 'getting kicked out of show business' in stand-up comedy comeback (report), madonna pays tribute to her kids for uplifting her following a 'near-death experience', ‘the traitors' star parvati shallow gives update on relationship with ‘perfect’ mae martin (exclusive), phaedra parks confirms ‘married to medicine’ return, hints at ‘rhoa’ reunion with porsha williams, why emma stone wants fans to call her by a different name, ciara shares her weight on a scale after declaring she's trying to lose 70 pounds, reba mcentire spills on reuniting with melissa peterman for new nbc sitcom pilot (exclusive), taraji p. henson on her heartfelt secret to 'staying so young' (exclusive), 'fire country': bode and eve get into heated argument (exclusive), why brandi glanville feels ‘sad’ amid 'rhugt' legal drama (exclusive), 'dance moms' cast slams co-stars who skipped out on reunion special, ‘dance moms: the reunion’: jojo siwa defends abby lee miller's past behavior to co-stars, the 'top gun' actor quickly helped up the photographer before entering the party..

Amid the glitz and glamour of Victoria Beckham 's extravagant 50th birthday bash, Tom Cruise showcased a moment of chivalry as he helped a photographer who had stumbled outside the venue.

The Top Gun actor, exuding his trademark suave demeanor in a sharp black suit and shades, diverted from entering the festivities to assist the paparazzo, who had taken a tumble. With effortless grace, the 61-year-old extended a helping hand, swiftly grasping the photographer's arm and aiding him back to his feet.

Victoria's milestone celebration unfolded in grandeur at Oswald's in Mayfair, London, where she spared no expense in orchestrating an unforgettable evening. Accompanied by her husband, David, and their brood of Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper, the fashion icon radiated jubilance as she marked the occasion in style.

Among the star-studded guests were Victoria's fellow Spice Girls  -- Melanie Chisholm , Geri Halliwell ,  Emma Bunton  and  Melanie Brown  -- all arriving to revel in the festivities. Cruise himself, alongside Victoria's close confidante Eva Longoria, crooner Marc Anthony, and a plethora of other renowned personalities, converged on the exclusive members' bar.

An eyewitness tells ET, "Tom was in amazing spirits while celebrating Victoria’s birthday. He had great energy and was dancing throughout the entire night. He had so much fun."

On Saturday, David, 48, treated his Instagram followers to a special performance from Victoria's 50th birthday celebration: a Spice Girls reunion. 

"I mean come on x @victoriabeckham @melaniecmusic @officialmelb @emmaleebunton @gerihalliwellhorner 💚💛🧡💜💙," David captioned the post. 

In the video, the camera pans to Victoria (Posh Spice), Geri (Ginger Spice), Emma (Baby Spice), Mel B (Scary Spice) and Mel C (Sporty Spice) all in a line doing their iconic dance moves while singing their hit, "Stop." 

While the Spice Girls are in action during the moment, David sings along with the rest of the room.

Victoria celebrated the moment on her respective Instagram. 

"Best night ever! Happy Birthday to me! I love you all so much! #SpiceUpYourLife," the fashion designer captioned the video. 

Mel B also shared the video on her Instagram alongside a cheeky caption.

"About last night #tourdatescomingsoon," she wrote on the video. 

Meanwhile, Emma posed with Mel C prior to the party.

"Off to celebrate our special girl @victoriabeckham #spicegirls #holdontoyournickersgirls," she captioned the post featuring her and Mel C posing in their gowns. 

The Spice Girls reunion comes one month after the group marked the 30th anniversary of their auditions. The last time the women officially reunited was for their tour in 2013, though Victoria notably skipped out on it. 

"Today marks the 30th anniversary of the very first Spice Girls auditions!" they wrote last month. "What started back in 1994 has turned into an amazing journey, way beyond anything we could have ever imagined. Thank you to our fans for your support from day one #FriendshipNeverEnds ."

In the video montage, set to their 1996 hit, "Wannabe," the women are shown dancing and goofing around with each other while wearing casual '90s outfits. 

In January, Mel B opened up about the bond the women share after three decades of friendship.

"I was a Spice Girl at the age of 17. I'm old," she told Jennifer Hudson at the time. "I'm feeling old right now. But it is amazing that we've managed to kind of still stay friends. It's been 30 years. What you go through as a group... you are just welded together for life because you've been through such a crazy experience."

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I work from a cruise ship for 3 months a year. Here's how I stay productive at sea.

• Walter Biscardi runs his travel business remotely from cruise ships for three months each year.
• He said WiFi reliability has improved, but video calls and finding power outlets can be challenging.
• Biscardi recommends Virgin Voyages for remote workers because of the spaces to work and the WiFi.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Walter Biscardi, a 59-year-old travel agent based in Orlando. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I used to work in film, television, documentary, and marketing, and I ran two creative agencies in Atlanta for 25 years.

A few years ago, my wife and I turned my second passion, travel, into " Where's Walter Travel ." We specialize in travel planning services for cruises , group vacations, theme park tours, and company retreats.

We live in an Orlando rental, but I run the travel-planning business from a cruise ship for three months out of the year.

We started taking advantage of our remote working situation after the pandemic

In a few short years of working on cruise ships, I've noticed that more and more people are starting to do the same thing.

We predominantly cruise the Caribbean. Last year, our three months were spread over six different trips on the Royal Caribbean , Oceania , Virgin Voyages , and Carnival cruise lines. If it were up to me, I'd be at sea for six months a year, but my wife prefers three.

This year, we'll be back on Virgin Voyages in June and on the Sun Princess in October. We're planning a few more, too.

WiFi speed and reliability onboard ships have been game-changers

I don't always look for speed but rather consistency and reliability.

Even though the WiFi is reliable on most ships , it's still not perfect, and you need to manage your expectations. The WiFi on ships is satellite-based, so the signal will be slower if there's a lot of cloud cover. Rain may also temporarily cut it out completely.

The WiFi signal in rooms can be weak. When I get on board, I walk around public places, look at the ceiling, and find the repeaters , which amplify the router's signal . I park myself under a repeater to work, so at least I know I'm getting the fastest signal.

Video calls can be dicey, but voice calls over WiFi work well

Most of my work is using emails, social media apps, and a web browser, so I don't tend to have problems. The upload speed is the most difficult thing about working on a cruise ship.

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Working from a cruise ship might not be for you if you're required to upload a video to YouTube or be on video for 100% of your Zoom calls. Zoom with video turned off works well. I post TikToks all day, but uploading to YouTube will fail almost every time.

Turn off your cell service on the ship, even if you have unlimited roaming overseas. Phones use satellite maritime cellular, and it's ridiculously expensive. I've heard of people who have come home with $1,000 cellular bills because they didn't turn off their roaming.

I can typically make most of my calls over WiFi, but you won't be able to on some ships. Texting from ship to land usually works well if you're using the same type of phone as the person you're messaging, but when you're texting cross-platform, sometimes it doesn't work.

Finding power outlets can be challenging

Typically, if you need to put in a full day of work connected to power, you need to stay in your room. One tip to finding power when you're looking around public areas is to see where they plug in the vacuum cleaners.

I strongly recommend bringing a powerboard with multiple USB sockets. I have one with 10 USB connections, so I can charge my phone, GoPro, and other devices simultaneously.

Virgin Voyages ships are the most friendly for remote workers

The galley on a Virgin Voyages ship is set up like a coffee shop, with easily accessible power and USB sockets at the table. There are dozens of outlets, as they're inviting people to bring their laptops and work from the ship.

I usually upgrade to the premium WiFi option, which can cost anywhere from $19 to $39 per day on most lines, but Virgin only charges $10 per day to upgrade.

I work in an office at home, so working on a cruise is a big change

I operate at sea as I do on land, with the same office hours available to my clients other than when I know we're going on an excursion.

Cruise ships are comparable to remote working spaces, but they offer so much more. On a cruise, almost everything is included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, entertainment, and most amenities.

If I want to take a break from work, I go to the pool. When I finish for the day, I'll go to the theater to see a show.

Meeting places are usually free on a cruise ship. Generally, all you have to do is reserve a conference room. AV facilities are usually included too, although you may have to pay a setup fee.

Remember to be respectful — many people are on board for a vacation. I've been out by the pool and seen people taking business calls on speakerphone, which is ridiculously annoying.

I suggest picking at least one port on every cruise and make it a 'ship day'

About 75% of people will get off the ship at any port, so staying on board feels like you have the whole place to yourself.

Activities like the pools will still be open, and the spas will often discount their services by 20-40% on port days.

Of course, I still recommend getting off and exploring as much as possible — that's what cruises are for.

Watch: Cruise ship captain breaks down 8 cruise ship disasters in movies and TV

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Residents Outside Moscow Protest Power Outage, Demand Heating Amid Subzero Temperatures

Residents of a Moscow region town impacted by power outages have taken to the streets, demanding that local authorities restore heat to their homes as subzero temperatures grip the region, Russian media reported Friday.

At least 21,000 people had power knocked out in their homes on Thursday morning in the town of Podolsk when a heating main burst at the Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant, according to the Kommersant business daily.

The circumstances surrounding the incident at the plant in Podolsk, located some 50 kilometers south of Moscow, have not been disclosed.

The Telegram news channel Ostorozhno Moskva published a video of several local residents who gathered in the town's central square to demand the authorities restore their heating, as well as punish those responsible for the outage.

“The police arrived quickly to disrupt us. I wish they’d brought back heating as fast as they dispatched the cops,” the person recording the video could be heard saying.

A Change.org petition with identical demands was launched online, which, by Friday evening, was   signed by nearly 2,000 people.

“Since more than 24 hours have passed, we ask to punish all those involved in this emergency,” the petition reads, naming Podolsk Mayor Grigory Artamonov and the heads of local utilities as the culprits.

Households in the Moscow region towns of Khimki, Balashikha, Solnechnogorsk, Lyubertsy and Elektrostal also experienced heating loss  as a result of power outages, with temperatures in the area plummeting to minus 20 degrees Celsius, according to the investigative news website iStories. 

The Podyom news outlet, without citing its sources, reported that prosecutors have launched an investigation into the outages.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

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Moscow Pummeled By Historic Snowfall

Arctic Could See More Rain Than Snow By 2060 as Region Warms – Study

St. Petersburg Winter Temps Could Rise 4 Degrees by 2050 – Scientist

Despite 'Unusual' Sunshine, Moscow is on the Verge of Freezing

New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore

B ALTIMORE (AP) — The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city’s port.

The Balsa 94, a bulk carrier sailing under a Panama flag, passed through the new 35-foot (12-meter) channel headed for Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Two more commercial ships followed later Thursday, including a vehicle carrier headed to Panama.

Their long-awaited voyages marked an important step in the ongoing cleanup and recovery effort as crews have been working around the clock to clear thousands of tons of mangled steel and concrete from the entrance to Baltimore’s harbor.

Five vessels that have been stranded for weeks are expected to finally leave Baltimore through the new, temporary channel. Other ships are scheduled to enter the port, which normally processes more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country.

Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize reopening the port and restoring its traffic to normal capacity in hopes of easing the economic ripple effects of the collapse. Officials have also established various assistance programs for unemployed workers and others impacted by the closure.

On Thursday morning, the Balsa 94 moved through the channel guided by two tug boats, one in front and one behind. It glided slowly past the fallen bridge and grounded Dali, the massive container ship that caused the collapse when it slammed into one of the bridge’s support columns.

Pieces of the steel span are still blocking other parts of the port’s main channel, which has a controlling depth of 50 feet (15 meters), enough to accommodate some of the largest cargo and cruise ships on the water.

The Balsa 94 is expected to arrive in Canada on Monday.

The Dali lost power and veered off course shortly after leaving the Port of Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka last month.

Six members of a roadwork crew — all Latino immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras — plunged to their deaths in the collapse. Four bodies have been recovered from the underwater wreckage while two remain missing.

A memorial for the victims near the south end of the bridge has grown in recent weeks. It now includes six large wooden crosses decorated with flags from the victims’ home countries and other personal items, including the hardhats and work boots that allowed them to provide for their families and chase the American dream. A painted canvas backdrop displays abstract scenes from the bridge collapse and salvage efforts as well as handwritten notes from the men’s loved ones.

“We want to send a message to the world that we’re here and we care,” said the artist, Roberto Marquez, who was visiting the memorial late Thursday morning. “We will be here working until they are all recovered.”

The new channel will remain open until Monday or Tuesday and then close again until roughly May 10. During the closure, crews will work to remove steel spans from the deck of the Dali and refloat the ship, which will then be guided back into the port, officials said earlier this week.

The port’s main channel is set to reopen next month after the Dali has been removed from the collapse site. That will allow for a normal flow of traffic to resume through the port.

But for now, the 35-foot depth is a substantial increase over the three other temporary channels established in recent weeks. It puts the cleanup effort slightly ahead of schedule, as officials previously said they hoped to open a channel of that depth by the end of April.

A hulking vehicle carrier named Carmen that is nearly as long as the Dali became the third commercial ship to traverse the channel Thursday afternoon. Viewed from the deck of a nearby passenger boat, it appeared to sail steadily between the marker buoys, dwarfing the cranes, barges and other wreckage removal equipment that was stationed nearby.

Even with commercial ships chugging past, crews continued the arduous process of clearing debris from the collapse site. On Thursday, they were using a crane apparatus to smash the fallen roadway into more manageable pieces that could be lifted from underwater with a giant claw.

In a court filing Monday, Baltimore’s mayor and city council called for the Dali’s owner and manager to be held fully liable for the bridge collapse, which they said could be devastating for the regional economy. They said the port , which was established before the nation’s founding, has long been an economic driver for Baltimore and the surrounding area. Losing the bridge itself has also disrupted a major east coast trucking route.

The filing came in response to an earlier petition on behalf of the two companies asking a court to cap their liability under a pre-Civil War provision of an 1851 maritime law — a routine procedure for such cases. A federal court in Maryland will ultimately decide who’s responsible and how much they owe.

In the meantime, both the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting probes to determine what caused the ship to lose power and strike the bridge.

This story was first published April 25, 2024. It was updated April 26, 2024, to correct the destination of a ship. It is Saint John, in New Brunswick, Canada, not St. John.

Burevestnik: a Russian air-launched anti-satellite system

By bart hendrickx monday, april 27, 2020.

In September 2018, an aircraft photographer noticed something interesting while observing activity at the Gromov Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky near Moscow, sometimes called the “Russian Edwards Air Force Base.” What caught his attention was a MiG-31BM fighter jet with a large black missile suspended under its belly. While this specific aircraft had been seen before, the rocket was new. The pictures he posted on the Internet baffled observers: it seemed to be too big to be an air-to-air or an air-to-surface missile. It did appear to be the right size for an anti-satellite weapon.

The pictures brought back memories of a Soviet-era ASAT project called Kontakt, which comprised the MiG-31D aircraft and a missile of the MKB Fakel design bureau outfitted with a kinetic kill vehicle. Kontakt was the Soviet response to the American Air-Launched Miniature Vehicle or ASM-135A, which destroyed a US satellite in September 1985 after having been dropped from an F-15 fighter jet. Test flights of the MiG-31D with the missile were reportedly conducted in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but without targeting satellites.

So it looked like the new project could well be a reincarnation of Kontakt, as was speculated in many articles in the weeks following the release of the pictures. Backing up that idea were at least two statements made by Russian officials. In August 2009, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, Aleksandr Zelin, had declared that the MiG-31 was being upgraded to perform the same space defense tasks as in the Soviet days. About eight years later, in February 2017, a squadron commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Yevgeny Polyakov, was quoted as saying by the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Zvezda TV channel that a new missile was being developed for the MiG-31BM “capable of destroying targets in near-space.”

Analysis of publicly accessible online Russian sources now leaves little doubt that the MiG-31BM and the rocket are part of a broader ASAT project called Burevestnik (“Stormy Petrel”). Most likely, the rocket will not carry a kinetic kill vehicle like its Soviet-era predecessor, but will serve as a launch vehicle for small interceptor satellites that can approach and disable enemy satellites.

Burevestnik, a popular name in Russian culture, was also the name given by popular vote to a nuclear-powered cruise missile (9M730) not long after it was unveiled by President Vladimir Putin during his State of the Union address in March 2018. This has no connection whatsoever to the ASAT project.

The Burevestnik satellites

Burevestnik has never been discussed in Russia’s state-controlled media or even in specialized Russian space publications, but details about the project have slowly leaked out in recent years, mainly via openly available tender documentation and contracts on Russia’s government procurement website. These showed that the project began on September 1, 2011, with a government contract awarded to the Design Bureau of Machine Building (NPK KBM), a weapon manufacturer based in Kolomna (about 100 kilometers southeast of Moscow) that seems to be the overall coordinator of the project. At the end of that same month, NPK KBM signed a contract with a Moscow-based organization called the Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (TsNIIKhM or CNIIHM), which in turn subcontracted work on satellites called Burevestnik-M.

Another phase in the project began on December 1, 2015, when NPK KBM received another government contract under which CNIIHM subsequently performed work on satellites named Burevestnik-KA-M. The difference between Burevestnik-M and Burevestnik-KA-M is not known, but a PowerPoint presentation (in Russian) of a Russian solar panel and battery manufacturer (PAO Saturn) that somehow ended up online in May last year clearly identified them as two different satellites. The hush-hush nature of the project as well as the background of some of the contractors involved strongly pointed to an ASAT role, as was discussed in an earlier article here (see “Russia’s secret satellite builder” , The Space Review, May 9, 2019).

The Burevestnik rocket

What has emerged from further research in recent weeks is that the scope of the Burevestnik project is much broader than earlier believed. First, it turned out that another component of the project is a solid-fuel rocket. A rocket by the name Burevestnik first showed up in the annual report of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 2015, where it was said to be one of several rockets for which new types of solid propellant were being developed. No further details on it emerged in the following years.

Analysis of procurement documents now shows that the rocket has the code name “293” and is built by NPO Iskra, a manufacturer of solid-fuel rocket motors in Perm (roughly 1,400 kilometers east of Moscow). Contracts for “293” (some of which also mention the name Burevestnik) refer back to the same September 1, 2011, contract awarded to NPK KBM that is also seen in documents on the Burevestnik satellites, leaving no doubt that the two are part of the same project. NPO Perm was assigned to “293” by NPK KBM on the very same day. Some of the contracts for “293” are based on an earlier government contract dated August 7, 2009, suggesting the roots of the project may go back even further.

Available contracts for the “293” rocket going back to 2013 regularly mention parts called 14D812, 14D813, and 14S47, which presumably are the rocket’s individual stages. 14S47 fits in a series of indexes for upper stages of space launch vehicles, strongly suggesting it performs the same role. Procurement documents placed online by NPO Iskra in recent months also show that the company began working in December 2018 on another rocket called “328”. The parts ordered for this indicate that it is a modified version of the “293” rocket, possibly using the new solid propellants mentioned in the 2015 Academy of Sciences report. Two companies linked to that work in the report are also seen in one of the contracts for the “328” rocket.

The MiG carrier aircraft

A search for the “293” rocket on Russia’s government procurement website subsequently revealed that it is an air-launched rocket to be carried aloft by a modified version of the MiG-31 aircraft. A contract (in Russian) signed by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK MiG) in August last year is for work “to determine the safety of operating Object 08 with Product 293 under the influence of naturally and artificially produced electromagnetic fields.” This work was to be completed in four months and would involve both a mock-up and “live” version of the rocket.

This is unmistakable evidence that “293”, the solid-fuel rocket built by NPO Iskra as part of Burevestnik, is designed to be carried by a MiG aircraft described as Object 08. This almost certainly is the MiG-31BM aircraft with number “81” that was seen carrying the mysterious black rocket in September 2018. One other RSK MiG contract (in Russian) that can be positively linked to Burevestnik refers to the aircraft more specifically as “Object 08/1”, a further indication that it is indeed MiG-31BM nr. 81.

The documentation links this work to a government contract awarded to NPK KBM for Burevestnik on December 1, 2015, and another one subsequently concluded between NPK KBM and RSK MiG on December 17, 2015. Therefore, it is in the same sequence of contracts that initiated work on the Burevestnik-KA-M satellites. However, RSK MiG’s involvement with Burevestnik began earlier than that. According to court documents (in Russian) published online late last year, NPK KBM and RSK MiG signed an initial contract for Burevestnik (described as “Burevestnik-MiG”) as early as January 23, 2012. This was presumably in the same chain of contracts that started work on the Burevestnik-M satellites and the “293” rocket back in 2011.

Burevestnik’s explosive payload

Other recently uncovered procurement documentation may provide conclusive evidence that the Burevestnik satellites are indeed ASAT interceptors. One contract (in Russian) for Burevestnik was signed in June 2017 between an organization called the Krasnoarmeysk Scientific Research Institute of Mechanization (KNIIM) and a company called OOO Expotekhvzryv. KNIIM is an institute in Krasnoarmeysk (a name derived from the Russian word for “Red Army”), which is situated about 60 kilometers northeast of Moscow. It is a leading manufacturer of ammunition and explosives, as can be seen in this profile of the institute.

Expotekhvzryv, based in Moscow, specializes in industrial safety control of “dangerous objects” (the word vzryv in the company’s name means “explosion”). Under the deal with KNIIM, it was to perform what was literally described as “industrial safety control of an experimental container for special products” and complete that work before the end of June 2017. According to the documentation, the work involved detonating the container to study the effects on its surroundings and on the container itself. The contract is clearly related to the Burevestnik-KA-M satellites because the documentation links the work to the December 2015 government contract that initiated that phase of the Burevestnik project and a subsequent one inked between CNIIHM and KNIIM on September 1, 2016.

The most logical interpretation of this information is that KNIIM developed some type of explosive charge for the Burevestnik satellites and that the tests conducted by Expotekhvzryv were needed to ensure that this material is safe for storage and transportation. While KNIIM seems to be the manufacturer of this payload, it should be noted that CNIIHM itself probably also has the necessary expertise in the field. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, a team at CNIIHM led by Kirill N. Shamshev devised two types of explosive charges that were carried by experimental interceptor satellites called IS (“Satellite Destroyer”). These were detonated when the satellites came in the vicinity of specially launched target satellites. According to its former website, CNIIHM has a “Center of Ammunition and Special Chemistry” and this may very well play a role in this work as well.

As is clear from several technical papers and patents, a number of Russian institutes (including CNIIHM) have also done research on non-destructive technology for co-orbital ASATs, mostly involving the use of finely dispersed particles that could presumably disable satellite sensors or cause other damage. Similar technology has also been studied to conceal satellites from potential enemy ASAT interceptors under a program known as Vual (see “Self-defense in space: protecting Russian spacecraft from ASAT attacks” , The Space Review, July 16, 2018). However, there are is no convincing proof that any of this work is connected to Burevestnik.

Possible on-orbit tests

It is perfectly possible that Burevestnik satellites have already been tested in orbit. Between 2013 and 2019, Russia launched six mysterious satellites from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome that showed similar in-orbit behavior and transmitted on identical radio frequencies, indicating they share a common platform. They were called Kosmos-2491, 2499, 2504, 2521, 2535, 2536, and 2543. All were launched as co-passengers with other payloads, the first three on the Rockot launch vehicle (now retired) and the later ones on the Soyuz-2.1v, the lightest rocket in the Soyuz launch vehicle family (without the first-stage strap-on boosters and carrying NK-33 engines inherited from the Soviet-era N-1 moon rocket.) All except the first one performed rendezvous and proximity operations with other objects launched on the same mission, either the rocket’s upper stage or other satellites.

Some of these satellites are likely part of a project called Nivelir, started in the same month as Burevestnik (September 2011) and also managed by CNIIHM. The Nivelir satellites are believed to be intended for on-orbit inspection of other satellites and are known to share at least two design features with the Burevestnik satellites, namely 4LI-20 lithium-ion batteries of PAO Saturn and MSKV84 fuel tanks of NIIMash, which likely feed K50-10.6 hydrazine monopropellant thrusters of OKB Fakel on both types of satellites. Because they seem to use a common bus, it is hard to tell which of the satellites belong to which program.

Two of the satellites (Kosmos-2521 and 2543) were deployed from larger “parent satellites” built by NPO Lavochkin (Kosmos-2519 and 2542). Having the military index 14F150, these are also part of the Nivelir project and themselves seem to be used for space situational awareness. Kosmos-2542 raised concern in US Defense Department circles earlier this year when it made several relatively close passes to the American reconnaissance satellite USA 245 in an apparent attempt to take detailed pictures of the satellite.

While most of the six satellites seem to have performed missions comparable to those of American and Chinese inspection satellites, two experiments conducted during these missions seem to have nothing to do with inspection. In October 2017, Kosmos-2521 itself deployed a small subsatellite (Kosmos-2523) that immediately lowered its perigee by 100 kilometers and has remained inert ever since without ever coming close to another satellite. Speaking to Time magazine last February, Gen. John Raymond, the commander of the U.S. Space Force, likened these satellites to Russian nesting dolls and described the subsatellite as a “high-speed projectile.” Possibly, Kosmos-2523 was another top-secret satellite of CNIIHM identified as Napryazheniye, the purpose of which is unclear.

Another puzzling event occurred last year during the mission of Kosmos-2535 and 2536, launched in July 2019 along with two other satellites (Kosmos-2537 and 2538) that are probably used for calibration of ground-based radars. About two weeks after launch, Kosmos-2535 and 2536 began a lengthy series of close encounters that continued until earlier this year. The first of those, in early August, was actually reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense, which described the two objects as an “inspection satellite” and a “registering satellite.” They were reportedly on a mission to study the effects of “artificial and natural space factors” on satellites and also to test technology to protect satellites and service them in orbit. More specifically, the equipment on the inspector satellite was designed to study the effects on the registering satellite of “space debris, electron and proton radiation of the Earth’s outer natural radiation belt, protons and heavy charged particles, solar and galactic cosmic rays.”

Then, in mid-October, objects labeled as “Kosmos-2535 debris” started gradually appearing in the catalog of space objects maintained by the United States Strategic Command. In all, 24 such objects were registered. The catalog does not disclose when exactly the satellite generated this debris, but orbital analysis has traced most of it back to a close encounter between Kosmos-2535 and 2536 in late September (which would mean the debris could have come from either satellite).

The debris wound up in widely scattered orbits with altitudes ranging from less than 400 to more than 1,000 kilometers, while the two satellites themselves have been circling the Earth in roughly circular orbits slightly over 600 kilometers above the Earth. This means it must have been created by some sort of energetic event. Both of the satellites did continue maneuvering afterwards, meaning that neither was rendered inoperable.

This could lead one to conclude that it was either a failed ASAT test or not an ASAT test at all. However, numerous other scenarios are possible as well, including one where the Russians elected to test an explosive charge without destroying the satellites in order to minimize the amount of debris and not attract undue attention to the mission. It could, for instance, have been ejected in a canister and detonated at a safe distance, with one or both of the satellites observing the event. It is also possible that one or both satellites carried protective material enabling them to survive the event and even sensors to detect possible impacts, like many of the target satellites used in the Soviet IS project. Such scenarios would still be in line with two of the mission objectives given in the official Russian statement on the mission, namely studying the effects of space debris and testing technology to protect satellites in orbit.

Future outlook

If Burevestnik has already been tested in orbit, it was launched as a co-passenger on a conventional ground-based rocket. However, this is likely to change in the future. As is clear from the evidence presented above, the satellites, the “293” rocket, and the MiG-31BM aircraft are part of one and the same project. Most likely, the air-launched “293” rocket will serve as a launch vehicle for future Burevestnik satellites. In Russian terminology, all these components would be described as belonging to the same “space complex,” a word used for the combination of the satellites, the launch vehicle, and all the ground-based infrastructure needed to support them. In some official documents, Burevestnik has been more specifically called “a space security complex,” a fitting term for an ASAT project (it has also been applied in one document to a project called Kalina, a ground-based laser system designed to blind or dazzle optical instruments of satellites). The index for the Burevestnik space complex is 14K168.

The idea that “293” is a satellite launch vehicle is corroborated by the fact that the index for one of its stages (14S47) is similar to that of some upper stages of space launch vehicles. Moreover, plans to use the MiG-31 as a satellite launch platform are not new. They were first put forward by the MiG design bureau in the late 1990s and culminated in a 2005 Russian/Kazakh proposal called Ishim to equip the aircraft with a three-stage solid-fuel rocket capable of placing 160-kilogram satellites into 300-kilometer orbits with a 46-degree inclination. With a maximum speed of Mach 2.8 and a service ceiling of more than 20 kilometers, the MiG-31 is an ideal platform for such missions.

With the Burevestnik satellites probably weighing around 100 kilograms or less, a rocket the size of “293” should be capable of placing them into orbit from a MiG-31, although potential targets would probably be limited to satellites in relatively low orbits, primarily reconnaissance satellites. The use of an air-launched rocket instead of a ground-based launch vehicle offers several advantages for ASAT missions. First, not being tied to a specific launch site, air-launched rockets can use a much broader variety of launch azimuths and, consequently, send satellites into a wide range of orbital inclinations. Second, they can be prepared for launch at short notice (certainly solid-fuel rockets like “293”) and away from the prying eyes of reconnaissance satellites, giving the enemy little warning time. By contrast, the Soyuz-2.1v, the lightest launch vehicle in Russia’s current rocket fleet, is a liquid-fuel launch vehicle that needs two days of launch preparations on a single available pad. In addition to that, the Soyuz-2.1v (with a payload capacity of 2.8 tons to low Earth orbit) would be far oversized for launching a single Burevestnik satellite. Both the “293” rocket and its apparent successor (“328”) could potentially also be used to launch other small military satellites on quick-response missions, a capability that the US military has been seeking for a long time without much success.

All this does raise the question why dedicated infrastructure for Burevestnik is being built at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. This infrastructure is identified in procurement documents as “Object 7511/4,” As can be inferred from recent procurement documents, a new contract for the construction work was awarded by the Ministry of Defense just last December, clearly showing it is not yet finished. One possible explanation is that Burevestnik flights using the MiG-31BM will be staged from Plesetsk’s airfield (known as “Pero”), benefiting from the cosmodrome’s infrastructure for storage and preparation of rockets and satellites. Another, much more remote possibility is that “293” has a two-stage air-launched version (consisting of the 14D813 and 14S47 stages) that can take off from a multitude of air bases and a three-stage ground-launched version (consisting of the 14D812, 14D813, and 14S47 stages) that will be based at Plesetsk. It is hard to tell whether the rocket seen in the photos taken at Zhukovsky has two or three stages. Similarly, America’s Pegasus air-launched rocket had a ground-based “sister rocket” (Taurus/Minotaur-C), which essentially consisted of a Pegasus mounted on top of the first stage of a Peacekeeper ICBM. However, there are no clear signs that any launch infrastructure for such a rocket is being built at Plesetsk.

Other ground-based infrastructure for Burevestnik, named “Object 7511/3,” is under construction near Pervomayskoye in the Tambov province, about 450 kilometers southeast of Moscow. This is the location of a military base (nr. 14272) primarily used for the long-term storage of rockets awaiting shipment to the launch site.

The control center for Burevestnik missions is likely situated right next to the headquarters of Russia’s space surveillance network in Noginsk-9 (also known as Dubrovo), a small town about 60 kilometers east of Moscow. Noginsk-9 was also home to the control center for the Soviet-era co-orbital ASAT missions. A facility in Noginsk-9 known as “Object 3006M” has been linked in building contracts to both Burevestnik and Nivelir. It will probably be fed with targeting data by a network of space surveillance radars and optical telescopes stationed across Russia. Autonomous satellite navigation equipment known to have been developed for Burevestnik satellites by MKB Kompas should also help guide the satellites to their targets relatively quickly. Even with 1970s technology, the Soviet-era IS interceptor satellites demonstrated the ability to reach their targets on the first orbit after launch.

All the construction work is a sign that Burevestnik is not merely seen as an experimental system, but one that Russia intends to place on operational stand-by. When that will occur is hard to tell. The Burevestnik project has been underway for almost a decade but, like many other Russian space projects, was probably hit hard by the Western-imposed sanctions that complicated the delivery of foreign-built electronic components for the Russian space industry. Despite Russia’s policy of “import substitution,” even highly classified Russian military satellites remain very reliant on Western electronics. This is illustrated by one 2016 contract for the delivery of electronic components for Burevestnik satellites, which listed a total of 457 foreign electronic components versus just 45 Russian-built components.

Still, it does look like one or more Burevestnik satellites have already been tested in space, with more such test flights (using the Soyuz-2.1v) possibly yet to come. As for the “293” rocket, the one seen in the September 2018 photos was presumably a mock-up, but one of the earlier quoted RKS MiG contracts signed in August 2019 strongly suggests that a “live” version is undergoing captive carry tests by now. A CNBC article published in September 2018 quoted “three sources with direct knowledge of a U.S. intelligence report” as saying that the MiG-31BM spotted shortly before was believed to be “a mock-up of an anti-satellite weapon that will be ready for warfare by 2022.”

Other Russian ASAT projects

As large in scope as Burevestnik appears to be, it is only one of several ASAT projects that Russia is currently working on. The most advanced of these is Nudol, a ground-launched direct-ascent ASAT missile built by OKB Novator that is believed to have made at least ten test flights from Plesetsk since 2014, without destroying targets in space. The latest of these took place on April 15, prompting an immediate response from the US Space Command’s Gen. John Raymond, who regards it as “further proof of Russia’s hypocritical advocacy of outer space arms control proposals designed to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting their counterspace weapons programs.” Recently gathered evidence indicates that another, possibly more capable missile may be under development for Nudol at the Moscow-based MIT Corporation.

Other likely ASAT systems under development are ground-based and air-based systems to dazzle or blind satellite optical systems ( Kalina and Sokol-Eshelon ) and ground-based and space-based systems for electronic warfare (Tirada-2S and Ekipazh ). In November 2017, a Russian military official also disclosed the existence of a “mobile anti-satellite complex” called Rudolf, about which nothing is known. Another satellite under development at CNIIHM called Numizmat will probably carry a hard-to-detect ultrawide-band noise radar for proximity operations and may also have an ASAT-related role. An up-to-date overview of Russian ASAT systems is given in the latest edition of the Secure World Foundation’s annual report Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open-Source Assessment .

The co-existence of several ASAT projects indicates they are designed to fulfill complementary roles, possibly targeting different types of satellites in different types of orbits. Similarly, in the 1980s the Soviet Union worked on a plethora of ASAT systems , each of which had its own well-defined tasks in various possible war scenarios. The collapse of the Soviet Union prevented any of those from reaching operational status, but by all indications Russia now once again has a sustained program to develop a broad range of counterspace capabilities, whatever the motives for that may be.

For more details on Burevestnik and a complete list of sources, see this thread on the NASA Spaceflight Forum , which is updated with new information as it becomes available.

Bart Hendrickx is a longtime observer of the Russian space program.

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Russia Maps Show 25% of Moscow Without Power Amid Winter Freeze 'Emergency'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the nationalization of an ammunition plant in Moscow after a mechanical failure caused tens of thousands of Muscovites to lose heat and water amid freezing temperatures beginning last week.

On January 4, a heating main burst at the Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant in the town of Podolsk, which is around 30 miles south of central Moscow. Since then, tens of thousands of Russians are reported to have no heating in their homes in the Moscow region amid subzero temperatures.

Affected areas include the cities of Khimki, Balashikha, Lobnya, Lyubertsy, Podolsk, Chekhov, Naro-Fominsk, and Podolsk, a map published by a Russian Telegram channel and shared on other social media sites shows.

⚡️Map of European cities where people complain about the lack of heating and electricity due to the restriction of #ruZZian energy supplies 😆😆😆😆😆 pic.twitter.com/o0kldiLwiy — Aurora Borealis 🤫 (@aborealis940) January 8, 2024

Other Russian media outlets reported that in Moscow, residents of Balashikha, Elektrostal, Solnechnogorsk, Dmitrov, Domodedovo, Troitsk, Taldom, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Krasnogorsk, Pushkino, Ramenskoye, Voskresensk, Losino-Petrovsky, and Selyatino are also without power.

That means that in total, more than a quarter of Moscow's cities have been hit with power outages and a lack of heating.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment via email.

Many residents have taken to publishing video appeals on social media to complain about their freezing conditions. In one clip, people living in Moscow say that they are left with no choice but to warm their homes with gas stoves, heaters, and "whatever else we can find." Others said they are lighting fires in the streets to keep warm.

Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the Moscow region, announced on Tuesday that Putin ordered the ammunition plant to be nationalized because two of its owners have been "located abroad." He didn't name the individuals.

"We received the right to take control of this boiler house within the framework of an emergency," Vorobiev said, adding that the plant's boiler room was managed "very poorly" and there was "virtually no qualified competent personnel."

Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case over Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant not meeting safety requirements.

On Tuesday, the committee said that because of the incident, the deputy head of Podolsk's administration, the head of the plant's boiler house, and the general director of the ammunition plant had been detained.

Residents of Selyatino have described the situation as "some kind of struggle for survival," Russian Telegram channel ASTRA reported.

Power outages have also struck St. Petersburg, Rostov, Volgograd, Voronezh, Primorsky Territory, and Yekaterinburg.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via [email protected].

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer

Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur. Her focus is reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war. Isabel joined Newsweek in 2021 and had previously worked with news outlets including the Daily Express, The Times, Harper's BAZAAR, and Grazia. She has an M.A. in Newspaper Journalism at City, University of London, and a B.A. in Russian language at Queen Mary, University of London. Languages: English, Russian

You can get in touch with Isabel by emailing [email protected]  or by following her on X @isabelvanbrugen

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