Russia expands strikes to target Ukraine's data centres and telecoms infrastructure

According to reporting by Ukrainska Pravda, Russia has broadened the scope of its sustained campaign against Ukraine in recent days, introducing new categories of targets beyond those struck previously. Earlier attacks focused primarily on energy facilities and logistics hubs, aiming to disrupt power supplies and the movement of goods across the country.

Russian forces have now begun striking data centres that house equipment relied upon by internet service providers, government agencies, banks and other digital systems. These strikes are directed at buildings where critical telecommunications infrastructure is concentrated, rather than at power generation or transport links alone.

This shift suggests that Russia's objective extends beyond interrupting the physical supply of electricity to undermining Ukrainians' ability to communicate, access the internet and use digital services more broadly. Damage to the infrastructure underpinning internet and mobile communications could affect not only everyday connectivity but also the functioning of public administration and the financial sector, both of which depend heavily on digital systems.

The strikes on data centres represent a new phase in Russia's broader campaign against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, which has continued throughout the war. Previously, the emphasis fell on the energy grid, causing power outages that were especially severe during colder months. The expansion to include digital infrastructure points to an apparent attempt to widen the disruptive impact across Ukrainian society and the economy.

Ukrainska Pravda notes that this forms part of a wider campaign combining strikes against several different types of infrastructure simultaneously, placing cumulative pressure on the country's ability to function normally.