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Russians locked out of bank accounts as Ukraine hits Yandex data centres amid escalating tensions
Kyiv is being pressured by Washington to avoid targeting Russian energy facilities in a move intended to preserve diesel supplies to international markets.
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Ukrainian strikes on data centres operated by Russian tech company Yandex have disrupted key digital services, leaving users struggling to access bank accounts, book taxis and unlock smart doors in their homes. The attacks signal widening of the conflict, bringing Russia’s digital infrastructure into the picture.
This comes as Kyiv faces pressure from Washington to avoid targeting Russian energy facilities, a move intended to preserve diesel supplies to international markets.
"I ended up in a situation where I had absolutely no money. Well, I had the money, but it was inaccessible," Irina, a blogger from St Petersburg, told NBC News.
Irina wished that “it would be fixed in a few hours," as her rent was due on the day the the outage first started.
Yandex's 5 data centres damaged
A series of Ukrainian strikes earlier this month reportedly damaged three of Yandex’s five main data centres, with the attacks beginning on October 8. The incidents followed a similar move by Russia, which started targeting data centres across Ukraine several weeks ago.
The disruptions affected everyday life, prompting complaints across social media. Users reported difficulties booking rides, ordering meals and accessing documents stored on Yandex.
Although most of the company’s services have resumed operations, the financial impact has persisted for some customers. Three people told NBC News that outages affecting Yandex Pay, a digital platform used to pay in Russia, left them unable to access their money.
Russia launches fresh attacks on Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday said that Russia had targeted energy facilities across Ukraine with ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones. He also expressed concern over lack of intelligence from allied countries, which had provided inputs about Russian attacks in the past, reported CBC.
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Meanwhile, discussions are underway between Moscow and Kyiv over evacuation from Oleshky, a town under Russian occupation. A Ukrainian human rights official said around 2,000 residents had been left without access to food and medical care for months, raising concerns about their situation.
