Ukrainian Drones Hit Sberbank Data Center After Yandex Attacks

Oct. 14, 2026 @exilenova_plus / Telegram Ukrainian drones targeted a major data center for Russian state lender Sberbank, which was under construction in the Saratov region, overnight, First Deputy CEO Alexander Vedyakhin said Wednesday. Vedyakhin said that all banking systems and online services continued to operate normally and that no employees were injured in the attack on the Volga River city of Balakovo, according to the state-run news agency TASS. NASA’s satellite imagery showed multiple fires in Balakovo. Saratov region Governor Roman Busargin said “all infrastructure facilities” were operating normally, without identifying Sberbank’s data center as a target. He said one woman was killed and several homes were damaged in the drone strikes. The attack on Sberbank follows three consecutive Ukrainian drone strikes that disabled half of tech giant Yandex’s data centers. Ukraine says it is responding to Russian attacks on its own data sites. “You didn’t think it would stop with just Yandex, did you?” Ukraine’s Fire Point arms company said in a social media post on Wednesday morning. Sberbank began construction of the 55,000-square-meter facility (592,000 square feet) in 2021, promoting the 122.2 billion ruble ($1.4 billion) project as one of Europe’s largest data centers, with completion expected in 2030. Along with Yandex, its main domestic rival, Sberbank is Russia's leading developer of artificial intelligence. The domestic market is shared between Sberbank's GigaChat model and YandexGPT. State media reported in 2024 that Sberbank’s Balakovo center would host Russia’s biggest supercomputer, which was scheduled to go into operation in 2027. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems destroyed 902 Ukrainian drones over 19 Russian regions and annexed Crimea between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said “most” of the 493 Ukrainian drones flying toward the region were neutralized, 180 of them on direct approach to the capital. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces struck seven Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities and a data center with ground-launched missiles and long-range strike drones overnight. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Drones , Artificial intelligence Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more 13 Injured During Ukrainian Air Attack in Republic of Adygea Regional authorities said a Ukrainian drone slammed into an apartment building, causing an explosion and fire. 1 Min read Ukrainian Drones Strike Energy Sites and Homes Across Russia, Officials Say In the southern port city of Tuapse, authorities said an oil refinery briefly caught fire amid the overnight airstrikes. 2 Min read Ukraine Launched Drone Attack on Putin’s Valdai Residence, Lavrov Claims While the claim was swiftly dismissed by Kyiv as an attempt to derail peace talks, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was "very angry about it." 2 Min read Russia Unveils New 'Killer Drones' The new weaponry is reportedly capable of intercepting and dismantling enemy drones.