Ukrainian Drones Hit Second Yandex Data Center in Two Days

Science16 sourcesOct 9, 2026

Leans leftFactual rigor 51/100

The Story

Ukrainian drone strikes partly disabled an AI data center operated by Russian digital giant Yandex in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow on Friday, October 9, 2026.

This attack followed a strike on another Yandex data hub the previous day. Yandex, often called "Russia's Google," stated that several modules at its Kaluga data center were completely disabled, potentially causing disruptions to some of its services. The company is assessing the full extent of the damage and cannot confirm whether the equipment can be restored.

On Thursday, October 8, Ukrainian drones struck a major Yandex data center in Sasovo, Ryazan region, causing a fire and forcing the facility to suspend operations. That facility housed two of the company's three supercomputers used to develop its AI models and took tens of thousands of servers offline. The Sasovo attack led to major internet outages across Russia, affecting banking services, transport websites, online platforms, mobile operators, and major Russian news outlets.

Kaluga Governor Vladislav Shapsha reported that nine people were injured in Kaluga, with five hospitalized in stable condition, and houses in two districts were damaged. Russian authorities claimed to have shot down 26 drones over the Kaluga region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine would continue retaliating against Russian attacks on Ukrainian data centers, saying, "We always respond in kind" and "We always respond symmetrically."

The Institute for the Study of War noted that Western sanctions and export controls on Russia may hinder Yandex's ability to quickly replace damaged advanced semiconductors. Yandex shares fell about 4% on the Moscow Exchange after news of the second strike. In the Tver region north of Moscow, a drone reportedly struck an experimental plant described as a major chemical producer of liquid fuel for Russia’s Kh-55 and Kh-101 cruise missiles. Tver Governor Vitaly Korolyov confirmed a drone attack on an unidentified factory, stating its employees had been evacuated.

What they agree on

Ukrainian drone strikes damaged a Yandex data center in Russia's Kaluga region on Friday, October 9, 2026, disabling several modules.
This was the second Yandex data center hit by Ukrainian drones in two days, following an attack on a Sasovo facility in the Ryazan region on Thursday.
The Sasovo data center housed two of Yandex's three supercomputers used for AI model development, and its disruption caused widespread internet outages in Russia.
Yandex, a Russian technology and AI company, stated that the attacks struck at the core of its operations and that it is assessing the damage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated these attacks are retaliation for Russian strikes on Ukrainian data centers.

Where they split

The Daily Beast and Al Jazeera emphasize the strategic significance of targeting Yandex, calling it "Russia's Google" and highlighting the impact on AI data infrastructure.
The Kyiv Independent and Meduza provide specific details on the damage to the Kaluga data center, stating that "several modules" were "completely disabled" and that some Yandex services may experience disruptions.
The Moscow Times and Ukrinform focus on the broader internet outages across Russia that occurred after the first strike on the Sasovo data center, affecting banking, transport, and media services.
Daily Sabah and TASS (English) report on the Kaluga Governor's statements regarding casualties and damage in the region, including the number of injured people and drones shot down, without explicitly linking it to the Yandex facility.