Yandex services offline after Ukrainian drones strike three Russian datacenters
Drone attacks on Yandex facilities in Sasovo, Kaluga and Vladimir have disabled cloud and payment platforms for users.
Key points
- Ukrainian drone strikes damaged three of Yandex's five Russian datacenters starting October 7.
- Yandex Pay and Yandex Cloud remain offline while engineers prioritize core services like Search and Mail.
- The fintech head confirmed user funds are safe but provided no timeline for full restoration.
Ukrainian drone strikes targeted three of Yandex’s five Russian datacenters, causing widespread outages across the company’s cloud and payment services. The attacks began overnight on October 7 and continued into October 9, severely disrupting operations for the Russian technology giant.
Yandex engineers are working around the clock to restore access after the physical damage. Network connectivity reportedly fell to thirty percent of normal levels as technicians attempted to reroute traffic and repair infrastructure. The company has not confirmed a fix or provided a precise timeline for full service restoration.
Infrastructure damage and service status
The initial strike occurred overnight on October 7-8, seriously damaging the Sasovo datacenter and leading to its total shutdown. A second attack hit the Kaluga facility on the morning of October 9, taking part of its infrastructure offline. These events forced Yandex to prioritize the most-used services while other features remained inaccessible.
A third strike targeted the Vladimir site on Sunday morning, which supports the Yandex Pay digital payments platform. Dima Pirogov, head of Yandex's fintech division, confirmed the damage via Telegram. He stated that while services remain offline, users' money is safe and the team is checking every step of the restoration process.
Yandex reported that access to the Alice AI assistant, Mail, Maps, Search, and Taxi is being restored. However, the company's status page lists widespread outages across Yandex Cloud, its public cloud platform. Other features remain offline as engineers focus on stabilizing the core network and ensuring reliable operation before full reopening.
Impact on users and payments
Yandex Pay allows users to make online and in-store purchases, pay in installments, and split bills. The service is integrated into online shopping experiences and functions similarly to Apple Pay or Google Pay. Users awaiting access to funds have been left without the ability to transact through the platform since the strikes.
Pirogov acknowledged the difficulty users face when they cannot access their money. He apologized for the lack of immediate resolution but emphasized that reliability is as important as speed in restoring the service. The company promised not to stop until the service is back online, though no specific date was given.
Yandex broadly offers services similar to Google's, making the disruption significant for Russian internet users. The loss of connectivity affects not just payments but also essential daily tools like search and navigation. The company continues to work on restoring full functionality while managing the physical aftermath of the drone attacks.
What should you do?
Organizations relying on Yandex Cloud should monitor the company's status page for updates on service restoration. Users of Yandex Pay should verify that their funds are secure, as the fintech head confirmed money is safe despite the outage. Businesses should prepare for potential delays in transaction processing as services come back online.
What to do and how to stay safe: Yandex
- Monitor official vendor status pages for real-time updates on service restoration and infrastructure stability.
- Verify the security of stored funds through alternative channels if the primary payment interface is unavailable.
- Prepare contingency plans for transaction processing delays as services gradually return to normal operation.
- Check for alternative connectivity options if network performance remains significantly below normal levels.
Step-by-step guide: Cloud Misconfiguration Response: Containment, Recovery and Prevention Steps
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Which Yandex datacenters were damaged by the drone strikes?
The Sasovo, Kaluga, and Vladimir datacenters were targeted, with Sasovo suffering total shutdown and the others experiencing partial or full outages.
Is user money in Yandex Pay safe despite the outage?
Yes, Dima Pirogov, head of the fintech division, confirmed that users' money is safe while services remain offline.
When will Yandex services be fully restored?
The company has not provided a precise timeline for restoration, stating only that engineers are working continuously to bring services back online.
