Strikes on Ukrainian data centers may expose Russia's own digital vulnerabilities
Experts told the Kyiv Independent that Russian attacks on Ukrainian data centers could hurt Moscow because Ukraine has struck back at Russian digital infrastructure. A September strike damaged a Kyiv data center, disrupting internet service for about 100,000 households. Much of Russia's data center capacity is concentrated around Moscow, within range of Ukrainian long-range drones.
On Sept. 23, a strike harmed a Kyiv facility holding UTELS network gear, also affecting Fex.net and cutting service for roughly 100,000 households. Afterward, Moscow broadened its focus to digital targets. Ukraine answered between Oct. 8 and Oct. 18, hitting three Yandex sites, a Sberbank construction project, and a VK data center.
A former Yandex Ukraine chief estimated that about four-fifths of Russian data-center capacity sits in Moscow and nearby areas, placing it within range of Ukrainian long-range drones. A pro-war Russian blogger said data centers had been an informal restraint that Moscow's move removed.
If strikes on data centers continue, ordinary internet users, businesses, and public services in both countries could face more outages and slower connections. In Ukraine, repeated damage may complicate access to news, banking, and remote work; in Russia, centralized facilities near Moscow may put many users and companies at risk. The exchange of attacks may also push providers to harden infrastructure, but resilience could come at higher cost and with uneven protection for smaller communities.