Russian telecom operator Rostelecom proposes ‘doomsday’ backup data center to restore services after attacks

Russia's leading telecom operator Rostelecom has proposed building a "doomsday" backup data center to swiftly restore services following attacks, according to Valery Yermakov, the deputy chairman of the organization's management board. On the day Ukrainian drones initiated their first assault on a Sber data center, Yermakov made this proposal, emphasizing the current necessity of such a facility.

The concept of a doomsday data center, which stores backup information to enable quick service recovery, was once considered implausible but is now deemed crucial in today's digital landscape. On October 14, Ukrainian drones struck a data center in Balakovo, Saratov region, Russia, belonging to Sber. Despite confirming the attack, Sber reported that its services remained unaffected.

Nonetheless, users began experiencing disruptions in various services. In parallel, Ukraine has been unable to receive critical missile warnings from the U.S., and SpaceX has restricted the use of Starlink. Ukrainian drones have also targeted Russia's primary data centers, raising questions about their vulnerability and potential protective measures.

Ukraine has also disabled key Yandex data centers, causing widespread implications throughout Russia. Meduza, the news outlet reporting on this story, adheres to strict editorial standards, ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of its English-language content. All articles undergo a review process by Meduza editors before publication. For any discrepancies, readers can contact reports@meduza.io.