Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian Yandex data centres disrupt services in Central Asia

Ukrainian drone attacks on Yandex’s Russian data centres between Oct 8 and Oct 11 ignited fires at sites in Sasovo (Ryazan region), Kaluga region and Vladimir, about 180 km from Moscow. The strikes forced a complete shutdown of the Vladimir centre and damaged the other facilities, cutting off the computing power that underpins Yandex’s regional platforms. Consequently, Yandex Go taxi-booking and Yandex Pro courier apps stopped working in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, prompting reports of “no ride” messages in Almaty and Astana.

Yandex’s Kazakh and Uzbek divisions said most services have resumed but technical glitches may persist, while the Kyrgyz team continues repairs without a set deadline. No injuries were reported, and emergency crews are addressing the damage. The incident underscores how the conflict’s spillover can disrupt digital infrastructure in neighboring markets.