Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged two of five data centers belonging to Yandex, Russia’s Google, on October 8 and 9, according to Reuters. The attacks targeted Yandex’s Sasovo and Kaluga data centers, which are critical for the company’s AI operations and online services. The strikes are part of a broader response to Russian drone attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure.
Yandex reported no casualties but acknowledged service disruptions, including issues with media websites, the Ivi video streaming platform, and financial services like T-Bank. The damage has affected Russian users’ access to various digital platforms, including a dating app, real estate aggregator, and the website of a top soccer club.
The Ukrainian company Firepoint confirmed its FP-1 one-way attack drones were used in the strike on the Kaluga data center, Yandex’s largest facility. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attacks as a symmetrical response to Russia’s drone strikes on Ukraine, emphasizing high-precision targeting.
The strikes mark another instance of data centers becoming key wartime targets in 2026. Following similar attacks by Iranian drones on Amazon data centers in the UAE and Bahrain, Ukraine has increasingly focused its drone strikes on Russian military and energy infrastructure.
Ukraine faces challenges in countering Russian missile and drone attacks due to a shortage of interceptor weapons. However, the country has expanded its own drone strike campaign, targeting Russian supply lines, shipping in the Black Sea, and energy infrastructure. In late October, coordinated drone strikes sank two commercial ships in NATO waters, attributed to Russia by Zelenskyy.
Source: arstechnica
