Russian technology company Yandex has suspended operations at a data centre in Vladimir after it was damaged in a Ukrainian drone strike, marking the third attack on the company’s facilities in less than a week.
The incident disrupted some of Yandex’s services, which are used by millions of people across Russia. The company confirmed that nobody was injured in the attack but warned that restoring normal operations could take an uncertain amount of time.
Three Yandex Facilities Hit in a Matter of Days
The Vladimir facility was the latest of Yandex’s five data centres to be affected by Ukrainian strikes.
Earlier attacks targeted its facilities in Sasovo on Thursday and Kaluga on Friday, forcing the company to suspend operations at both locations.
In a statement published on Telegram, Yandex confirmed that activity at the Vladimir data centre had been completely halted while efforts continued to restore connectivity.
The company explained that its data centres are essential to the normal functioning of its digital services, making the damage a significant operational challenge. It said it was difficult to predict when the affected facilities would return to normal service.
Disruption Could Affect Millions of Russian Users
Often described as Russia’s equivalent of Google, Yandex operates a range of digital services, including search, food delivery and taxi-booking applications.
The repeated attacks have raised concerns about the availability of services that depend on the company’s data centre network.
With three facilities targeted within days, Yandex faces the task of repairing damaged infrastructure while attempting to maintain access to its platforms. The full extent of the disruption and the timeline for a complete recovery remain unclear.
Ukraine Targets Infrastructure Supporting Russia’s War Effort
Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian infrastructure that it says helps finance or sustain Moscow’s military campaign.
Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities have been presented as part of efforts to weaken the resources available to support the war. Damage to commercial infrastructure could also force Russia to divert personnel and funding towards repairs and service restoration.
The strikes come as the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continues into its fifth year.
Trump Warns Ukraine Against Attacking Russian Oil Refineries
The latest strike on Yandex’s Vladimir facility occurred hours after US President Donald Trump criticised Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Trump warned that Ukraine should “damn well stop” targeting the facilities, adding to tensions over the conduct of the war and Washington’s approach to Moscow and Kyiv.
His comments came amid a separate dispute over a new agreement between the United States and Russia that would allow millions of tonnes of Russian diesel to be released into the US market.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted angrily to the arrangement, while also arguing that any reduction in hostilities must involve commitments from both sides.
Zelensky Calls for Reciprocal De-escalation
Responding to the escalating attacks, Zelensky said Ukraine would be prepared to stop targeting Russian oil refineries if Moscow halted its strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
In a message posted on X, the Ukrainian president said any steps towards reducing hostilities must be reciprocal and supported by credible guarantees.
His position reflects Kyiv’s argument that a halt to its attacks should not leave Ukrainian infrastructure exposed to continued Russian strikes.
Trump, however, responded to Zelensky’s criticism of the diesel agreement by saying he believed it was time for Ukraine to elect a new president, further highlighting the strain in relations between the two leaders.
Russian Attacks Continue Across Ukraine
While Ukrainian drones targeted Russian facilities, Russian attacks on Ukraine continued over the weekend.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported that six people were injured in overnight Russian attacks affecting four districts in the south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.
The attacks followed a deadly assault on Zaporizhzhia on Saturday, in which local officials said at least 20 people, including four children, were killed.
The continuing strikes on both sides underline the scale of the infrastructure damage and civilian danger associated with the prolonged conflict.
Infrastructure Remains a Key Front in the War
The attacks on Yandex add another dimension to the conflict, extending the impact of the fighting beyond energy facilities and military targets to technology infrastructure relied upon by ordinary users.
For Yandex, the immediate priority is restoring connectivity and assessing the damage across its affected facilities. However, with the company unable to provide a clear timetable for recovery, the consequences of the latest strikes could continue to affect services.
Meanwhile, the exchange of attacks and the diplomatic disagreement between Washington, Moscow and Kyiv suggest that efforts to limit the conflict remain complicated by disputes over security guarantees, energy infrastructure and the wider direction of the war.
