In the near future”
Austria warns of blackouts in parts of the EU
The Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner expects large-scale power cuts in the European Union, as she said in an interview with the German daily newspaper “Welt”.
The Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner expects large-scale power cuts in the European Union soon, as she said in an interview with the German daily newspaper “Welt”. (archive image)
The probability of a blackout in parts of the EU in the near future is very high. “The question is not if he’s coming, but when he’s coming,” says Tanner. She emphasized that the risk of a widespread power failure had increased significantly as a result of the war in Ukraine.
«For Putin, hacker attacks on the western power supply are a means of hybrid warfare. We shouldn’t pretend that this is just theory. We have to prepare for blackouts in Austria and in Europe.” Tanner emphasized that “by the fourth day of a power blackout at the latest, a third of the population would no longer be able to take care of themselves”.
However, the ÖVP politician does not expect the Ukraine victory to end anytime soon. Russia has enormous reserves of material and soldiers, she said. «Fortunately, Ukraine has made very important achievements, but it has a huge territory to defend. It is unclear whether there will ever be a victor in this war.”
Tanner called on the international community to focus more on negotiations to resolve the Ukraine war and to work with Ukraine on this issue. “It is important that there are talks going on in the background and that the focus is increasingly placed on diplomacy.”
(SDA)