From Foreign Policy · Elisabeth Braw · · 1m 30s
Data Centers in the Crosshairs
Ukraine and Iran attack Russian and Iranian data centers, disrupting internet services.
In brief
Ukraine and Iran attack Russian and Iranian data centers, disrupting internet services. Ukraine and Iran targeted data centers in Russia and Iran, causing widespread internet outages and disrupting critical services. Originally reported by Foreign Policy.
Ukraine targets Russian data centers
Ukraine has attacked Russian data centers, including Yandex and Sberbank, causing widespread internet outages.
“In the night of Oct. 7-8, Yandex’s data center in Sasovo was seriously damaged by a drone attack.”
Russia responds with data center strikes
Russia has retaliated by attacking Ukrainian data centers, disrupting services for millions of users.
“The Russian Defense Ministry called the attacks a 'mandatory digital detox' for Ukrainians.”
Iran strikes Persian Gulf data centers
Iran attacked Amazon and Bank Sepah data centers in the Persian Gulf, causing significant disruptions.
“Iran responded by blocking the Strait of Hormuz and striking Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates.”
Yandex reports critical damage
Yandex reported that its data centers in Sasovo and Kaluga were damaged by drone attacks, halting operations.
“Data centers are the 'iron heart' of Yandex. Their availability is critical for services that have become part of people’s daily lives.”
Zelensky links strikes to reduced social media bots
Zelensky stated that Yandex attacks reduced social media bots, leading to less hate and division in Ukraine.
“Thanks to the Yandex attacks, it suddenly became a little easier to breathe on many social media platforms.”
Internet outages impact daily life
Russians faced difficulties accessing emails, work files, and booking taxis after Yandex strikes.
“Russians have struggled to access their Yandex emails, open work files or book taxis.”
Historical context of data center attacks
World War II saw similar bombing of critical infrastructure, leading to 'area bombing' tactics.
“During the Blitz of World War II, Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe bombed British arms factories, but it also bombed ports and critical national infrastructure.”
Data centers as critical infrastructure
Data centers power essential services, including transportation, banking, and communication.
“Most governments have satellite-based backup systems, but satellites can only transmit a small percentage of the traffic that any country needs.”
Consequences of data center strikes
Attacks cause prolonged internet outages, disrupting daily life and economic activities.
“Your credit and debit cards would not work (unless you live in Sweden, Finland, or Australia).”
Data center warfare becomes inevitable
Data center attacks are now a standard tactic in modern warfare, affecting all future conflicts.
“As Ukrainians know, data center warfare is not just about inconveniences for internet-addicted citizens: It’s about targeting and disrupting backbone of modern societies and economies.”
The short version
Ukraine and Iran targeted data centers in Russia and Iran, causing widespread internet outages and disrupting critical services.
