{
  "id": 13957720,
  "title": "Did Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centres cause Russian bot activity to plummet?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/did-ukrainian-strikes-on-yandex-data-centres-cause-russian-bot",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-12T12:31:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/12/did-ukrainian-strikes-on-yandex-data-centres-cause-russian-bot-activity-to-plummet"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centers have led to a significant drop in automated online activity, sparking debates about whether the attacks disrupted Moscow's influence operations abroad. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that social media platforms became less hostile after the strikes, attributing the reduction in hate, division, and provocations to fewer Russian bots. Yandex confirmed that operations at its Vladimir facility were suspended following a drone strike, with infrastructure damage causing instability in the platform. Analysis showed a 94% decrease in automated traffic originating from Yandex's network on Sunday compared to mid-September levels. Rumors of a sharp decline in online activity surrounding the far-right Alternative for Germany party emerged in Germany, while similar claims appeared in Britain regarding Reform UK. In the United States, users reported fewer automated pro-conservative responses on X, despite no independently verified figures. The speculation, coming before the US midterm elections, has been fueled by political figures and commentators, with some asserting that Russia's data centers were the source of the issues.",
  "summary": "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that social media has become less hostile following strikes on Russian technology giant Yandex's data centers. Zelenskyy told the Warsaw Security Forum that these attacks have massively reduced bot activity, leading to less hate, division, and fewer provocations on many social media platforms. Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius suggested that allies should ask Zelenskyy to hit more Russian data centers to help protect elections against interference.\n\nRecent drone strikes have caused multiple disruptions to Yandex services. According to the Kyiv Independent, an October 8 attack caused a fire at a data center in Sasovo, Ryazan Oblast, forcing a complete suspension of operations. An October 9 strike damaged a data center in Kaluga, and a drone attack on October 11 reportedly shut down a data center in Vladimir Oblast. The Kyiv Independent reports that these disruptions have left many users unable to check balances, pay for purchases, or transfer money. The Record also noted that a third data center hit over the weekend caused further disruptions to cloud services, payments, and deliveries across Russia.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Hit more Russian data centres, says Lithuanian PM",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/hit-more-russian-data-centres-says-lithuanian-pm",
        "published": "2026-10-12T11:35:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Social media bots declined after Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centers – Zelenskyy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/social-media-bots-declined-after-ukrainian-strikes-on-yandex-data",
        "published": "2026-10-12T13:51:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Moscow Times",
        "title": "Ukraine’s Strikes on Yandex Data Centers, Explained",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/ukraines-strikes-on-yandex-data-centers-explained",
        "published": "2026-10-12T13:56:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euromaidan Press",
        "title": "Ukrainian drones hit three of Russian tech giant Yandex’s data centers in four days. Ukraine’s president says the bots thinned out too",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/ukrainian-drones-hit-three-of-russian-tech-giant-yandexs-data-centers",
        "published": "2026-10-12T14:08:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "‘Doesn't deserve respite': Russian FM on Zelensky's push for ceasefire to hold Ukraine elections",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/doesnt-deserve-respite-russian-fm-on-zelenskys-push-for-ceasefire-to",
        "published": "2026-10-12T15:01:25.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}