Since mid-September, Russian forces have been launching strikes against Ukrainian data centers and telecommunications infrastructure facilities. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that Russia is attempting to find “alternative mechanisms for victory” in light of the situation on the front lines.
According to ISW analysts, the expansion of the list of targets in Russia’s strike campaign is intended to damage Ukraine’s economy and digital infrastructure, on which civilians and businesses depend every day.
Russian attacks have already caused widespread disruptions to internet access in Kyiv.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed attacks on Ukrainian data centers. Officials from the aggressor country claim that their goal is to disrupt the transmission of information within the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
At the same time, according to the ISW, Ukrainian government agencies have found no evidence of damage to the communication systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or government institutions as a result of these strikes.
Although Russia’s attacks have caused temporary disruptions to internet service, representatives of Ukrainian internet service providers believe they are unlikely to cause a complete shutdown of the network.
At the same time, ISW analysts suggest that attacks on telecommunications infrastructure could lead to higher internet costs for Ukrainian users. This is because providers will have to spend additional funds to restore the damaged infrastructure.
ISW notes that strikes on data centers are one of Russia’s latest attempts to harm the Ukrainian economy. Previously, Russian troops attacked port, railway, and logistics infrastructure facilities.
According to ISW analysts, the Kremlin is intensifying its offensive campaign and expanding its list of targets in an effort to find new ways to exert pressure on Ukraine.
The ISW attributes this to the fact that, according to analysts’ assessments, Russian offensive operations in 2026 failed to achieve their objectives, while Ukrainian forces have demonstrated operationally and strategically significant successes throughout the year.
Russia began attacking Ukrainian data centers in mid-September. Among the first to be targeted were facilities in Kyiv, which caused disruptions in the operation of the internet infrastructure.
The ISW notes that in this way, Russia is attempting to extend the impact of its offensive campaign beyond purely military targets by attacking digital infrastructure that is critical to the civilian population and businesses.
This is according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of September 23 damaged the infrastructure of three more internet service providers—Domonet, Kievnet, and Faust. Due to equipment damage and power outages, some subscribers may temporarily lose internet access or experience an unstable connection. Several other companies, including Cityhost, KyivLink, MiroHost, and Etherlink, had previously reported issues following the attack.
A complete loss of internet access is not expected in Ukraine, even in the event of new Russian attacks on network infrastructure. According to “Flash,” this should be countered by highly distributed communication channels.
Following the Russian strike on the “Protasov” business center in Kyiv, some subscribers of the internet service provider FAUST were left without service. The Cosmonova data center is located on the complex’s premises; however, the exact causes of the outages, their extent, and the timeline for restoration have not yet been confirmed.
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