Russia Expands Physical Strikes on Ukraine’s Digital Backbone

In the latest wave of assaults, Russian forces targeted several datacentres and internet service providers in Kyiv and its environs. Strikes on Wednesday and Thursday caused temporary internet outages for roughly 100,000 households, according to Ukraine’s digital transformation ministry. A drone strike on Friday hit the headquarters of Datagroup, one of the country’s largest telecommunications firms, killing four people. Polish authorities later reported that a Starlink satellite station in central Poland, used to relay Ukrainian traffic, was set on fire in what officials described as an “act of sabotage” linked to Moscow.

The Guardian

Ukraine’s internet architecture is relatively decentralised, which historically limited the impact of isolated attacks. Nevertheless, the scale of the recent strikes marks an escalation, coinciding with Russia’s broader campaign against economic targets—warehouses, petrol stations, ports and heavy industry—amid the fifth year of the full-scale war. With winter approaching, Ukrainian officials warn that repeated attacks could jeopardise the digital platforms that support banks, payment systems and public services.

The Guardian

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that former U.S. President Donald Trump had approved licences for Ukraine to produce Patriot air-defence missiles, a step that could eventually enable domestic manufacturing of the systems. Polish officials characterised the fire at the Starlink station as sabotage tied to Moscow.

The Guardian

• “I recommend Kyiv residents gradually prepare for winter … by getting Starlink terminals or other means of maintaining communications,” — Serhii Sternenko, a popular blogger and former government adviser

The Guardian

• “The goal of the Russians is not only to strike at the capital’s energy infrastructure but also to destroy all datacentres and internet operators,” — Serhii Sternenko, a popular blogger and former government adviser

The Guardian