Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia's Belgorod region, called on residents over the past hour to prepare for possible relocation if electricity and heating supplies fail completely, stating backup generation cannot restore power to homes and enterprises, according to ASTRA. Gladkov emphasized there is no immediate need to evacuate, advising residents to plan actions for a complex emergency, such as moving children to relatives with heat and electricity. He made the statement this morning, January 13, 2026, at around 9:00 a.m. UTC. The directive follows attacks on January 8-9 that left hundreds of thousands without electricity and heating. Gladkov admitted yesterday that energy capacity losses are nearly catastrophic, as reported by ASTRA.
