As per reports, a politically motivated act of sabotage targeted critical electricity infrastructure in southwest Berlin, resulting in a large-scale power outage affecting approximately 45,000 to 50,000 households and around 2,000 businesses across multiple districts, including Lichterfelde, Zehlendorf, Nikolassee, and Wannse as of Sunday (04 January).

• The incident involved a fire on high-voltage electrical cables located on a cable bridge near a natural gas power plant in the Lichterfelde area.
• German authorities have reportedly assessed the fire as a suspected arson attack linked to left-wing extremist activity.
• A group identifying itself as the far-left anarchist “Vulkan Gruppe” (also referred to as “Volcano Group”) claimed responsibility through a letter sent to police and media outlets
• While electricity has been partially restored, tens of thousands of residents are expected to remain without power until approximately Thursday (08 January) due to the severity of the damage, adverse winter weather conditions, and the technical complexity of repairs.
• The outage has also disrupted heating, internet access, and essential services. Emergency shelters and local care points have been established to support affected residents while investigations and restoration efforts continue.