Deadly Storm Batters Smolensk Region, Leaving Thousands Without Power

Aug. 7, 2026 A partially flooded street in the Smolensk region. Social media A powerful storm pummeled parts of western Russia’s Smolensk region, with strong wind and heavy rain on Thursday evening, leaving thousands without power and downing many trees, including two in the capital city that killed a child and an elderly woman. Emergency services said the two deaths took place in separate parts of the regional capital of Smolensk, which bore the brunt of the storm as winds reached gusts of up to 20 meters per second (45 miles per hour). The regional government initially said 15,000 energy customers were left without power as of late Thursday. By Friday, that number more than doubled to 32,500. While regional Governor Vasily Anokhin established a 24-hour emergency response task force, officials clarified that a formal state of emergency has not been declared. In total, the severe weather disrupted eight central and western districts surrounding Smolensk, an area encompassing more than half of the region’s 857,000 residents. Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry warned that heavy rain and wind are expected to continue across the Smolensk region through Friday evening. Authorities warned residents to stay home if they can and avoid tall trees. Drivers were advised to exercise caution amid low visibility. Read more about: Smolensk , Regions , Weather Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Regions Calling: Spring Floods Catch Russian Officials Off Guard The North Caucasus republics of Chechnya and Dagestan are grappling with catastrophic floods after experiencing their heaviest rainfall in decades. 6 Min read In Photos: Murmansk Left in the Dark After Arctic Storm Batters Power Grid Russia's northern Murmansk region is under a state of emergency after a strong winter storm damaged the aging power grid, leaving parts of the region without... 1 Min read Emergency Declared in Parts of Southern Russia as Drought Concerns Grow Southern Russia, Belarus and much of Ukraine remain under drought warnings, according to a late-May report by the European Drought Observatory. 2 Min read Russia Evacuates Almost 4,500 People After Dam Burst Media reports say up to four people may have died in the flooding in the city of Orsk. 2 Min read