Overnight Russian missile strike destroys major telecom data center
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Aftermath of a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, October 19, 2026 (Photo: RETUERS)
A Russian ballistic missile attack overnight on October 19 completely destroyed the equipment and infrastructure at a Datagroup data center, making it impossible to restore operations, the telecommunications company announced.
“An overnight ballistic missile attack completely destroyed the equipment and infrastructure at one of our data centers,” the company stated. “Unfortunately, the facility is damaged beyond repair and cannot be put back into service.”
Datagroup reported that no employees were harmed. The company continues to provide services to clients from backup sites.
This marks the second time the telecommunications provider has seen its infrastructure hit, following a September 25, 2026, strike that also damaged a company data center.
Russian forces have intensified their strikes against Ukraine's digital infrastructure, damaging multiple facilities in Kyiv:
- A UTELS data center: The strike damaged critical internet infrastructure for the service provider
- A Pavutina data center: The attack inflicted damage on the internet network's facility
- A Crazy Network central traffic exchange data center: The strike cut off internet access to subscribers in Vinnytsia, Kyiv, and Khmelnytskyi
- A CityHost.UA data center: The attack destroyed the hosting provider’s hardware
- A Cosmonova data center: The strike caused extensive network disruptions and knocked the facility completely out of operation
- A Megogo partner data center: The attack disrupted the platform's primary television signal and broadcast services
- A MiroHost data center: The attack destroyed the facility housing the hosting provider’s infrastructure
- A Datagroup data center: The strike damaged the telecommunications facility, forcing services to shift to backup sites
- Kolo.TV equipment: The strike hit hardware belonging to the internet provider, forcing the Novyny.LIVE television channel to suspend its broadcasting operations
- Kyivstar's headquarters: A drone strike damaged the main head office building of Ukraine's largest mobile provider
MiroHost founder Oleksandr Olshanskyi told NV Business that Russian strikes on Ukrainian data centers aim to disrupt businesses and sow public panic.
Presidential technology adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov reported on September 24 that Russian strikes on telecommunications infrastructure cannot completely sever Ukraine from the internet.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha explicitly tied the campaign to a deliberate effort to block life-saving info, stating that Moscow is targeting data centers to cut off the internet networks that transmit emergency air raid alerts.
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