Absence of the Term “Blackout” in Ukrainian Legislation Confirmed by Ministry of Energy

The Ministry of Energy has officially confirmed that the term “blackout” is absent from the current legislation and regulatory legal acts of Ukraine.

This response was provided in relation to a public information request regarding the legal meaning and official definition of the term, which is widely used in media, official statements, and public discourse in the context of mass electricity outages.

According to the Law of Ukraine “On Access to Public Information” (No. 2939-VI), the ministry is not authorized to provide legal interpretations or create new information. It also clarified that it is not the holder of public information related to this term, since “blackout” is not legally defined.

Thus, although the term is actively used in the public domain, it lacks any legal or normative basis, raising questions about the legitimacy of its application in official documents, informational campaigns, and actions by state authorities.

This response confirms the existence of a legal vacuum around a concept that may be used to justify restrictive or emergency measures without proper legal procedure or statutory recognition under Ukrainian law.