Data centers and communications networks in Ukraine are facing intensifying Russian attacks involving jet-powered drones, disrupting internet and mobile communications services for thousands of people and prompting official warnings about broader effects on the digital economy and civilian infrastructure.
According to Reporters Without Borders, the attacks have focused on the capital, Kyiv, since September 23. Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation reported that approximately 100,000 households in the Kyiv region experienced temporary internet outages after the initial strikes, before attacks on data centers and mobile networks operated by multiple entities intensified.
Multiple Attacks Target Communications Facilities
Tetiana Haviuk, an analyst specializing in Europe at ACLED, said communications infrastructure had previously suffered damage affecting fiber-optic cables, cellular towers and telecommunications companies’ facilities. However, she assessed that the latest attacks were different because several providers and facilities were hit within a few days, indicating more concentrated Russian pressure on digital infrastructure.
The importance of these facilities is not limited to providing internet access. Repeated outages could affect banks, payment systems and public services, while also hindering the work of media outlets and limiting residents’ ability to access information.
A Gap in Air-Defense Capabilities
The strikes are part of a broader Russian campaign targeting energy networks, railway stations, ports and civilian facilities since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The article says the impact of long-range attacks has increased this year after Ukraine’s stocks of interceptor missiles were depleted, alongside Russia’s use of faster and more difficult-to-shoot-down jet-powered attack drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 4 that Ukrainian defenses intercept more than 85% of conventional Shahed drones, while the rate falls to approximately 50% or 60% against the newer jet-powered versions. Russia is exploiting this gap to strike infrastructure facilities during the fall and winter seasons.
How Is Ukraine Trying to Strengthen Resilience?
The article quoted Kateryna Chernohorenko, Ukraine’s former deputy minister of defense for digital transformation, as saying that Ukraine had moved some data centers outside the country and begun investing in underground communications networks. However, she stressed that it was impossible to move everything into fortified underground facilities and that the country needed support from its allies to strengthen its defenses against ballistic missiles and drones.
Outages could push media outlets and residents to rely more heavily on satellite connectivity solutions such as Starlink. A former Ukrainian government adviser also recommended that Kyiv residents buy Starlink terminals or similar alternatives in preparation for the winter, although this would not eliminate limitations related to the coverage and availability of these solutions or their dependence on continuous operational infrastructure.
Why Does This Matter?
The targeting of data centers shows that digital infrastructure has become a direct part of the battlefield, rather than merely a support service for military operations. The damage is measured not only by the number of affected sites, but also by the ability of financial, government and media sectors to operate when multiple providers are hit within a short period. The lower interception rates for jet-powered drones also show that data-center resilience and backups alone cannot address the threat unless they are accompanied by physical protection and sufficient air-defense capabilities.
The article indicates that targeting data centers during wars is not an isolated case; reciprocal strikes in the Gulf during February 2026 included Amazon data centers in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, and the company later acknowledged the permanent loss of some Amazon Web Services customer data due to the destruction of facilities.