A left-wing militant group has taken responsibility for a major arson attack on Berlin's power infrastructure, plunging tens of thousands of homes and businesses into darkness and cold in the midst of freezing winter weather.
Attack Targets Wealthy Districts and AI Infrastructure
The fire, which broke out on a bridge over the Teltow canal in south-west Berlin in the early hours of Saturday, severely damaged several high-voltage cables. The grid operator, Stromnetz Berlin, warned that up to 35,000 households and 1,900 businesses could be without electricity – and consequently heating – until 8 January.
In a lengthy 2,500-word pamphlet deemed "credible" by police, the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) claimed the attack was deliberate. The group stated it aimed to "cut the juice to the ruling class," specifically targeting some of Berlin's most affluent districts. They condemned what they called a "greed for energy" from fossil fuels and framed the sabotage as an "act of self-defence" against the climate crisis.
The militants also linked their actions to a protest against artificial intelligence, arguing that energy-hungry AI data centres are exacerbating climate-damaging consumption and creating societal dangers. "One day we will simply sit before bright screens or dead machines while dying ourselves of thirst and hunger," the group's statement claimed.
Widespread Disruption and a Political Motive
The impact of the blackout has been severe and wide-ranging. The affected area in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, which includes neighbourhoods like Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee, and Lichterfelde, is home to numerous care homes, hospitals, and high-rise buildings where residents are now trapped without functioning elevators.
With night-time temperatures well below freezing and moderate snowfall over the weekend, the situation is critical. Berlin's mayor, Kai Wegner, condemned the attack, stating he was convinced it had a political motive. "It is unacceptable that leftwing extremists are once again openly attacking our electricity grid and thereby endangering human lives," he said during a visit to an emergency shelter.
Emergency services have been stretched thin, with police using loudspeakers on vehicles to inform the public after mobile networks failed. The outage has also disrupted regional commuter lines and threatens to extend the school holiday for many pupils.
Lengthy Repair and a Pattern of Attacks
Repair efforts are being hampered by the cold weather, which is slowing the process of laying new underground cables. While power was restored to about 10,000 homes by Sunday midday, Stromnetz Berlin warned that the remaining affected customers may not see their supply fully restored until Thursday afternoon.
This incident is not an isolated one. The Vulkangruppe, which Germany's domestic intelligence service classes as a left-wing extremist organisation, has a history of targeting infrastructure. In March 2024, the group claimed an arson attack on a pylon supplying Tesla's gigafactory near Berlin. A similar attack in September caused Berlin's longest post-war power cut, lasting 60 hours.
Security experts note that such attacks require little specialist knowledge to execute yet have a dramatic impact, with grid maps readily available online. The group is known for choosing targets that cause maximum disruption and require lengthy, complex repairs.
While initial theories had included possible foreign sabotage, the claim of responsibility from the Vulkangruppe has shifted the focus onto domestic extremism. The investigation into the cause of the blaze is being led by state security authorities.
