Information Blackout
All around the world, power outages and internet shutdowns are increasingly being used as political and strategic tools in conflicts and wars. When electricity and digital networks fail, it affects not only daily life but also the journalistic work and its ability to inform the public.
Modern news production relies heavily on electricity, internet access, and digital platforms, and without these tools, it becomes significantly harder to produce journalistic content in terms of gathering, verifying, and distributing information.
Furthermore, it is important to consider what happens when communication breaks down, especially in a time like this, when wars, global conflicts, cyber threats, and growing uncertainty are peaking. More importantly, what would this mean for journalistic output around the world?
Reporting on the frontline
Before the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine had one of the largest energy systems in Europe. Since the war started, Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, damaging power plants, substations, and transmission lines. As a result, major facilities were destroyed or severely damaged, significantly reducing the country’s generation capacity.
As of January 13, 2026, households across Ukraine are without electricity for an average of 8-12 hours daily, with even longer disruptions in eastern regions due to a weaker infrastructure. This significantly complicates the work of journalists, who are left without electricity, heating, and internet access for substantial portions of the day.
We spoke with Ukrainian journalist Anna Matvienko, CEO of Dnipro Media, to understand how they sustain their work amid relentless attacks and constant power outages.
She explained that even during missile strikes and widespread blackouts, her team refuses to stop reporting.
Anna Matvienko underscores the importance of reporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. As a result, their workload has increased significantly, driven by a shared commitment to ensuring that the truth is seen and heard.
Even if there are missile attacks, it doesn’t matter, we just go and work from restaurants, cafes or supermarkets.
Anna Matvienko
We also reached out to Anna Kryvenko, a journalist currently based in Kyiv. She shared how she manages to stay on track with her work despite prolonged blackouts and harsh weather conditions this winter.
Today, I worked from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. because that was the only time during the day when we had electricity
Anna Kryvenko
Could this happen in Austria?
I think an internet blackout is not something that most European countries are prepared for”
Aleksandra Tulej
Statistics for 2022–2024 show that the average duration of unplanned household outages in Austria is only 23–32 minutes per year, according to the official E-Control website.
This highlights the reliability and stability of the Austrian electricity network. But the Austrian Court of Audit, Rechnungshof, has warned that the country still lacks a fully coordinated national communication strategy for large-scale blackouts. In such a scenario, authorities would rely heavily on civil defense sirens, emergency warning systems, and local emergency coordination, systems that are overseen and promoted by the Austrian Civil Protection Association, Zivilschutzverband Österreich. Preparedness currently varies between regions, meaning communication and crisis response could differ across the country.
An internet outage would very quickly lead to a complete shutdown of the entire supply logistics. That means no more food, no more medication, no more communication, because everything is somehow interconnected, and our lives would come to a complete standstill
Herbert Saurugg
A key question remains. Is such scenario even possible in Austria? And if yes – how could this be enforced, and how would citizens and journalists keep communication going? We asked Austrian expert on crisis and blackout preparedness Herbert Saurugg:
Herbert Saurugg is the president of the Society for Crisis Preparedness. Since 2011 he has been working on the systemic vulnerabilities resulting from infrastructure and supply failures, with a particular focus on the European electricity supply system.
The fundamental problem is that if I cannot communicate, I can neither organize anything nor reach the broad public.
Herbert Saurugg
Shifting from technical considerations to a more journalistic perspective, it becomes fascinating to explore how an information blackout would affect journalists and, more importantly, the work of journalism itself. Speaking with someone who produces journalistic content in Austria, and has a firsthand experience in places where information blackouts are a reality, offers invaluable insight. It allows us to understand not only whether she, as a journalist, feels prepared, but also how likely she believes an information blackout is.
Aleksandra Tulej Photo: Anna Pedersen
Aleksandra Tulej is an Austrian journalist who works at the Wiener Zeitung, she is known for on-the-ground reporting from the Middle East and works with modern and social media journalism. In our interview with her she speaks about the work of Austrian media outlets and the availability of backup power systems in larger newsrooms. She also shares her experience reporting from Syria, where journalists had to operate under challenging conditions due to the lack of internet access and communication.
For Alexandra, a large-scale blackout scenario as it happens in the countries she reports from in Austria is unlikely. However, from the interviews we have learned that preparedness is key and that we should not rely on the comfort of temporary security.
Photo: Anna Pedersen
War shows that the fight is not only on the frontline, but also over the infrastructure that keeps information flowing. Ukrainian journalists have adapted to power outages, proving that reporting continues even under constant attacks on the energy system. In Austria, large-scale blackouts remain hypothetical, yet the situation underscores how crucial reliable communication is for keeping the public informed.
Checklist
We may all hope that blackouts and disrupted internet access will pass us by. However, in the reality we are facing today, being prepared for uncertainty is a form of security. With the help of Ukrainian journalists, we have created a practical checklist to guide all news workers in developing their own backup plans for unpredictable circumstances.
Made by:
Iwan Kasprzyk (Austria)
Julia Musianovych (Ukraine)
Anna Pedersen (Denmark)
Oleksandra Zharska (Ukraine)
Tamila Koval (Ukraine)
Mentor:
Saskia Hödl
Photo credits:
Khrystyna Lizohub Anna Pedersen Iwan Kasprzyk Tamila Koval.