Russian strikes on September 23 targeted multiple data centers and internet providers in Kyiv, disrupting internet services for around 100,000 households in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast. Ukraine's Digital Transformation Ministry confirmed these outages, stating that specialists are working to assess the damage and restore stable service. This marks an escalation in Russia's attacks on Ukraine's internet infrastructure, with a representative from the 1-IX internet exchange point, Anatolii Frolenkov, noting that attacks on communication infrastructure have become more systematic since September.
Several providers reported direct damage to their infrastructure. UTELS experienced damage to a Kyiv data center housing its core equipment, leading to power loss, while Pavutyna also had one of its data centers hit, causing customer outages. Crazy Network reported damage to a central internet traffic exchange in Kyiv, affecting internet and telephone services in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, and Khmelnytskyi oblasts. Etherlink, a Kyiv-based provider, sustained damage to its main network node, forcing it to relocate its core network. Hosting providers MiroHost and CityHost also reported equipment destruction at Kyiv data centers, though MiroHost noted that 90-95% of its customers using infrastructure outside Ukraine were unaffected.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed responsibility for strikes on two Kyiv data centers, New-Telco and United DC, alleging they supported Ukraine's military and security agencies. However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha rejected these claims, stating that the targeted facilities are critical civilian infrastructure essential for providing life-saving information, such as air raid alerts. He emphasized that these attacks are an attempt by Russia to destabilize life in Ukraine and terrorize civilians, as Moscow fails to achieve its goals on the battlefield. Despite the significant damage, Frolenkov believes a nationwide internet blackout is extremely difficult to achieve due to providers' ability to duplicate equipment and use backup routes, though such strategies are costly and not universally adopted, leading to scattered outages rather than complete loss of service.
