--- title: "Yandex Data Centers Targeted by Ukrainian Strikes Disrupting Services Across Russia" url: https://newscentral.site/yandex-data-centers-targeted-by-ukrainian-strikes-disrupting-services/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "World" published: 2026-10-19T10:10:05.000Z updated: 2026-10-19T12:47:54.336Z id: 1512c3dd-8700-443a-945f-01bb57207804 source: "NBC News World https://www.nbcnews.com/world/russia/russia-ukraine-yandex-data-centers-attacks-trump-rcna602753" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/yandex-data-centers-targeted-by-ukrainian-strikes-disrupting-services/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Yandex Data Centers Targeted by Ukrainian Strikes Disrupting Services Across Russia The attacks on Yandex's data centers have disrupted various services provided by the company, affecting millions of Russians. Millions of Russians have been affected by Ukrainian strikes on Yandex's data centers, a tech giant that provides essential services to the country's population. The attacks, which took place over several days earlier this month, targeted Yandex's digital infrastructure and disrupted various services provided by the company. Irina, a blogger from St. Petersburg, shared her personal experience with NBC News last week. Despite having money in her account, she was unable to access it for four days due to the disruption caused by the strikes. This left her struggling to pay for basic necessities such as utilities and food for her small child. The impact of the strikes extended beyond financial services, affecting various aspects of daily life in Russia. Yandex's services are deeply integrated into the country's infrastructure, making it a crucial component of the digital ecosystem. The company's digital infrastructure is also relied upon by other third-party platforms, exacerbating the disruption caused by the attacks. The Ukrainian strikes on Yandex's data centers mark a significant escalation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This development suggests that the war is being taken to a new level, with both sides seeking to disrupt each other's critical infrastructure. As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalates, the effects are being felt in various aspects of daily life for many Russians. One of the consequences is the disruption to online services, including digital payment systems and storage services. Many individuals have taken to social media to express their frustration with being unable to access basic necessities like taxi or food delivery services. Others reported difficulties accessing their personal files on company storage services, while some even found themselves locked out of their homes due to digital key failures. The disruptions have also affected Yandex Pay, a popular digital payment service used by many Russians. Three individuals reported being left without access to their disposable cash and savings for days after the outage. This has prompted concerns about financial security and the need for diversification in banking options. In response to the outages, Yandex stated that no employees were harmed and that efforts are underway to restore services. The company described its data centers as the "iron heart" of their operations. As the Ukraine's cyberattacks continued to disrupt Russia's online services, ordinary citizens began to feel the pinch of being disconnected from their bank accounts and daily necessities. Social media influencer Anastasia Mityaeva, who has a significant following on TikTok, shared her personal experience of being locked out of her account for several days. Despite eventually regaining access to her money, she faced other issues such as difficulties calling a taxi and entering her apartment building. Mityaeva's problems were not isolated; many others encountered similar challenges with their Yandex services. Her home voice assistant, which is similar to an Amazon Echo, stopped responding to requests, making it impossible for her to play music or turn off the lights. The disruptions had a significant impact on people's daily lives, highlighting the reliance on these online services. Not everyone was sympathetic towards Yandex, however. Viktoria, a 30-year-old barista from Moscow, expressed her frustration with the company after being unable to access her money during the outages. She described it as the final straw in a series of recent issues and announced that she would be switching to alternative services entirely. The disruptions also affected taxi drivers who rely on Yandex's app for orders and payment. Three drivers from Moscow reported not being able to see their earnings or withdraw their money, adding to the growing list of those affected by the Ukraine's cyberattacks. As the cyberattacks on Ukraine's data centers continue, Russian citizens are facing the consequences of being unable to access their bank accounts and earnings. One driver, who has stopped working until the issue is resolved, expressed his frustration at not knowing why the outages were happening. The situation is further complicated for drivers like Valery from Krasnodar, who have only recently started working with Yandex and are struggling to withdraw their earned pay. When the taxi app would show error messages or send multiple cars for the same customer, Valery's biggest concern was accessing his already earned money. In addition to Yandex, other major Russian companies such as Sberbank and VK have also been targeted in recent days, contributing to the chaos experienced by ordinary Russians. Analysts point out that Ukraine's campaign has aimed at making Russians aware of the consequences of being at war. The impact of these cyberattacks is evident in the words of Keir Giles, an associate fellow at Chatham House, who stated that Ukraine's objective has been to bring home to ordinary Russians the fact that they are at war and its associated consequences. The impact of Ukraine's cyberattacks is being felt by ordinary Russians as they face disruptions in their daily lives. One key area affected is banking and finance, with many Russians locked out of their bank accounts due to the attacks on data centers. Yandex, a major search engine and online platform, may also be targeted for its influence over what Russians see online. This could have significant implications for how people access information in Russia, particularly during times of war. As one expert noted, Yandex plays a crucial role in shaping the online landscape. Data centers are becoming increasingly important to military operations as both sides use data to inform battlefield decisions and improve commanders' situational awareness. This is often done with the aid of artificial intelligence, which can help plan military strategies. The growing importance of data centers has raised concerns about their vulnerability to cyberattacks. The location of Russia's data centers has made them more susceptible to disruption by Ukrainian strikes. According to Mykhailo Samus, a military analyst and director of the New Geopolitics Research Network, many of these facilities are concentrated in large complexes. This concentration of resources makes it easier for Ukraine to target and disable key infrastructure, including transport systems, internet access, and payment services, said Samus. --- Source: [NBC News World](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/russia/russia-ukraine-yandex-data-centers-attacks-trump-rcna602753) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/yandex-data-centers-targeted-by-ukrainian-strikes-disrupting-services/