Ukrainian Drone Strikes Damage Yandex Data Centers

Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged two of Russian technology company Yandex's five data centers, impacting the company's ability to maintain AI chatbots and other online services. Yandex, often referred to as "Russia's Google" due to its dominant search engine, is now reportedly struggling with service continuity.

The attacks occurred on October 8 and October 9, targeting Yandex facilities in the Sasovo and Kaluga regions of Russia. These actions are described as a direct response to Russian drone campaigns that have disrupted data centers in Ukraine, affecting mobile and internet services for numerous Ukrainians since late September.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on the social media platform X that the strikes were a response to Russian attacks and were carried out "with high precision." He characterized the incident as a "symmetrical response" to Russian actions.

The full extent of the damage and its precise effect on Yandex's operations have not been independently verified. The company has not issued a detailed statement regarding the damages or its remediation efforts.