Brief
Ukraine drones hit Yandex and Sberbank data centres in Russia
Kyiv says drone strikes on Russian data hubs caused shutdowns and disrupted services, while the Kremlin says the impact on users is still being assessed.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Ukraine reported that drones struck three Russian data‑centre sites owned by Yandex and one owned by Sberbank in the past week, causing shutdowns and service disruptions, according to the Independent.
What happened
Yandex said a drone strike on its Vladimir‑region hub forced a complete shutdown of that centre on Sunday. A second Yandex facility in Sasovo suffered a fire after a strike, with smoke visible in social‑media footage. On Wednesday, Kyiv‑launched drones hit a Sberbank data centre, the bank’s largest in Russia.
What the reports add
The Independent noted that the attacks have affected email, taxi, dating and building‑access apps across Moscow. It also cited a Reuters report that Yandex delivery systems were impacted. BBC Verify was mentioned as having clarified that claims about reduced Russian disinformation stemmed from a misinterpreted Cloudflare analysis.
What was said
President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv that Ukraine’s strikes are “mirror‑like” responses to Russian attacks on Ukrainian data sites, adding that he cannot share full details. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to assess whether users suffered financial losses and that the matter was being discussed by the government.
How it came about
Ukraine said the raids were retaliation for a Russian drone campaign that began in late September, which disrupted phone service for thousands of households in Kyiv. Zelensky has repeatedly framed the strikes as a symmetrical response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
Key facts
- Ukraine said drones struck Yandex data centres in Vladimir and Sasovo, causing a shutdown and fire. (independent.co.uk)
- A Sberbank data centre was hit by Ukrainian drones on Wednesday. (independent.co.uk)
- President Zelensky described the attacks as a mirror‑like response to Russian strikes on Ukrainian sites. (independent.co.uk)
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the impact on users is still being assessed. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Russians complain about broken dating apps and takeaway delays after Ukraine strikes”
