Ukraine’s internet: Russia’s new frontline?

Tetiana Gaviuk, Analyst for Europe at ACLED, said: 

“ACLED data shows that Russian forces appear to have increasingly targeted telecommunication and data infrastructure in Ukraine since mid-September 2026. Multiple Internet service and hosting  providers and other infrastructure operators have reported damage or service disruption in Kyiv and the region. The attacks damaged data centers and networks, causing temporary internet and network outages and disrupting access to critical information, such as air raid warnings and digital services. 

“Russian attacks on Ukraine’s telecommunication infrastructure are not new, with strikes and shelling previously damaging fiber optic lines, cell towers, and facilities belonging to mobile network companies. However, the recent concentrated attacks on Kyiv’s data centers and telecom networks stand out because multiple providers and facilities were hit within days, indicating Russia’s increased pressure on Ukraine’s digital infrastructure. 

“The strikes disrupted internet access to approximately 100,000 households in the Kyiv region. Although services were quickly restored, repeated strikes on the Cosmonova data center on September 26 forced the company to cease its operation. A September 28 strike on the Dnipro office of Opendatabot, Ukraine’s analytical platform and monitoring service company, damaged the company’s physical infrastructure but did not disrupt its services, according to the company. 

“The geographical spread of the strikes that target multiple network and connectivity points appears as an emerging pattern of Russian attacks and may be intended to make rerouting services more challenging rather than disable individual providers.”