Yandex Data Centre Damaged in Ukrainian Drone Strike Amid Ongoing Conflict

Yandex has paused operations at a data centre near Moscow following damage from a Ukrainian drone strike, marking the third attack on the Russian tech company's facilities this week. The company, often referred to as 'Russia's Google,' reported no injuries at the centre in Vladimir, but noted that some services were unavailable to users. Earlier in the week, Yandex indicated difficulties in maintaining services after two of its five data centres were targeted in Ukrainian strikes. Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified attacks on infrastructure in recent months as the conflict continues into its fifth year since Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukrainian officials stated that they are targeting sites that contribute to Moscow's military funding, suggesting that these attacks could compel Russia to allocate resources for repairs at Yandex. The latest attack occurred shortly after US President Donald Trump cautioned Ukraine against targeting Russian oil refineries to allow for increased diesel supply to the global market, a statement that has faced criticism from Europe and led to diplomatic tensions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Yandex confirmed on Telegram that its data centre in Vladimir had sustained damage and that operations were 'completely suspended,' although efforts to restore connectivity were underway. Previous strikes on Yandex facilities occurred on Thursday in Sasovo and Friday in Kaluga, impacting services such as its AI chatbot and smart home devices. The company emphasized the critical nature of its data centres for the functionality of its services and expressed uncertainty regarding when they would be operational again. Concurrently, Russian strikes on Ukraine persisted over the weekend, with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reporting six injuries from attacks in four districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Additionally, local officials confirmed that at least 20 individuals, including four children, were killed in Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia.