Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Yandex data center, warehouses in overnight attack on Russia

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1. 1h ago

   Ukraine Targets Russian Data Centers and Logistics in Widespread Drone Attacks

   Ukrainian drones have struck critical Russian digital and logistics infrastructure, including data centers for Yandex, Sberbank, and VK. Recent operations targeted a Yandex facility in Vladimir Oblast and a Sberbank center in the Saratov region on October 14, while Sunday, October 18, saw strikes in St. Petersburg hitting a VK data center and an Ozon warehouse. These attacks have caused power outages for 20,000 people and disrupted mobile internet services. The strikes aim to inflict economic pain by targeting the digital backbone of the Russian state and commerce.

   Why it matters

   Russia and Ukraine are increasingly targeting data centers to disrupt economic activity and digital services. These facilities are often poorly protected, lacking multilayered air defense systems outside of Moscow. The strategy mirrors Russian strikes on similar Ukrainian infrastructure.

   What is confirmed

   • Ukrainian drones targeted a Yandex data center in Vladimir Oblast, located approximately 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
   • A Sberbank data center in the Saratov region was attacked on October 14.
   • Drone strikes on October 18 hit a VK data center and an Ozon warehouse in St. Petersburg.
   • An Ozon warehouse measuring 79,000 square meters caught fire following a drone strike.
   • Attacks in St. Petersburg cut power to 20,000 people and disrupted mobile internet and electricity.

   Still unconfirmed

   • President Zelensky claimed that data center strikes have taken down Russian bots.
   • Cloudflare data suggests malicious bots moved rather than going dark following the Yandex outage.
   • Pro-war channels accused Yandex of sabotage or inaction following the strikes.

   What to watch next

   • Evidence of systemic Russian upgrades to data center air defenses outside Moscow
   • Official Russian government confirmation of the scale of data loss or service outages
   • Further Ukrainian strikes on financial or state digital infrastructure
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. www.unitedforpeace.org — The Ukraine crisis: commentary, responses, and background - United For Peace and Justice
   2. BBC — Is Zelensky right to say data centre strikes have taken down Russian bots?
   3. meduza.io — Ukrainian drones are hitting Russia’s biggest data centers. Why are they so vulnerable — and can anything protect them?
   4. Cloudflare Blog — Yandex outage: Data shows that instead of going dark, malicious bots went on the move
   5. The New York Times — To Inflict Economic Pain, Russia and Ukraine Strike at Data Centers
   6. kyivindependent.com — Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Yandex data center ...
   7. CNN — Ukraine targets Russia’s ‘Google’ as the internet becomes a new front line
   8. The Kyiv Independent — Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Yandex data center, warehouses in overnight attack on Russia
   9. www.dailykos.com — Ukraine Invasion Day 1,694: Major RU internet outage after UKR strikes Sberbank data center - Daily Kos
   10. ukrainetoday.org — Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Yandex data center ...
   11. united24media.com — Drones Set Massive 79,000-Square-Meter Ozon Warehouse Ablaze Near St. Petersburg — UNITED24 Media
   12. www.kyivpost.com — Drones Hit St. Petersburg Oil Terminals, VK Data Center, and Bridge - Kyiv Post
   confidence 90%