Russia's internet giant Yandex halts operations at major data center after drone attack
The logo of Russian internet group Yandex is pictured at the company’s headquarter in Moscow.
Shamil Zhumatov | Reuters
Russian internet giant Yandex suspended operations at one of its key data centers on Thursday after a drone strike as Ukraine continues to target the country’s infrastructure.
The attack caused a fire at the company’s data center in Sasovo, Ryazan, in western Russia, and affected part of its infrastructure, Yandex said in a statement to CNBC. The data center has stopped operating entirely, and some Yandex services may be unavailable to users, it added.
“There are no casualties, and emergency services are on site dealing with the aftermath,” Yandex said.
Moscow-headquartered Yandex, known as the Google of Russia, provides the country’s most widely used search engine. It also developed the region’s leading generative AI model, YandexGPT.
Although Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the Yandex attack, it has been stepping up its attacks on Russian infrastructure, including energy, over recent months, such as targeting Russian oil refineries, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said are used to “finance the war and the killing of Ukrainians.”
Ukraine also increased attacks on Russian retail giant Wildberries, a critical part of the consumer infrastructure.
Last week, Zelenskyy said the country will double down on its attacks on Russian oil refineries in response to a new policy of airstrikes from Moscow designed to force people to leave Kyiv and other cities.
Kyiv’s power issues
Emergency power cuts were enforced in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Thursday due to ongoing Russian air strikes on the country’s power grid.
Last week, Russia hit key facilities in Kyiv and other major cities across the country, as it looks to destabilize Ukraine’s energy foundation ahead of the winter season, threatening heating and other essential services for civilians.
In response, Ukraine has been attacking Russia’s fuel and energy facilities, with Zelenskyy warning Russian President Vladimir Putin at the United Nations General Assembly in September that Kyiv would make winter painful for Russia if the two sides were unable to come to an energy truce.
“Ukrainians understand that this winter could be very harsh for us. But in response, we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia too,” Zelenskyy said on Sept. 23.
