Ukraine strikes Yandex data centers

Ukraine attacked three Yandex data centers in late October, targeting the Russian company often called the "Google of Russia." These attacks were in response to Russian strikes on Ukrainian digital infrastructure in September, which included attacks on data centers and internet providers.

Yandex facilities hit in multiple locations

A Ukrainian drone struck a major Yandex data center in Sassovo on October 8, causing it to shut down. The site housed two of the three supercomputers used for Yandex’s artificial intelligence projects. A second attack the next day targeted a facility in Kaluga, near Moscow, disrupting several modules. A third attack reportedly struck a center in Vladimir on October 11.

Yandex stock drops after attacks

Yandex’s stock fell by 4.5% following the disruptions. The attacks signal a new phase in the conflict, with digital infrastructure, such as data centers, becoming a strategic target. In September, Russia had attacked Ukrainian data centers and the Kyivstar headquarters, a major internet provider near Kyiv.

Experts note significance of targeting Yandex

Olivier Kempf, an associate researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research, said the attacks on Yandex are significant because the company is a major Russian tech firm. He noted that Russia’s requirement for domestic data storage has created vulnerabilities, and such attacks are not entirely new, as seen in earlier incidents like Iran targeting Amazon infrastructure.

Legal framework lags behind digital warfare

The attacks caused a noticeable drop in internet traffic in Russia, but Yandex said its main consumer services were unaffected. However, international law, such as the Geneva Conventions, does not currently cover digital infrastructure. Efforts are underway to create protections, such as a "digital emblem" by the International Committee of the Red Cross, but no binding rules exist yet.

Experts downplay need for attack-resistant data centers

Kempf suggested there is no immediate need to build data centers that are resistant to attacks, as current infrastructure has redundancies to maintain service. He added that if missile attacks were to occur, they would likely target industrial facilities first, not data centers.