Reports: Russian strikes target Kyiv’s internet hubs amid growing communications disruption

What happened

The Kyiv Independent reports that over the past two days, Russian strikes have damaged multiple data centers and internet providers’ infrastructure in Kyiv, causing service outages that affected approximately 100,000 households in the capital and Kyiv Oblast. Ukraine's Digital Transformation Ministry is working on damage assessment and restoring stable internet service after the attacks on September 23.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Anatolii Frolenkov, representing Kyiv’s 1-IX internet exchange point, told the Kyiv Independent that this marks a new phase in attacks against Ukraine’s communications network, becoming more systematic since September. Earlier strikes targeted energy and telecommunications, but recent damage to crucial data centers and communication nodes signals an escalation in intensity. Providers like UTELS, Pavutyna, and Crazy Network reported outages due to damage at their facilities, extending disruptions to other oblasts such as Vinnytsia and Khmelnytskyi. Additionally, Etherlink had to relocate core network infrastructure after an attack on its main network node.

Hosting providers MiroHost and CityHost reported destruction of equipment housed in Kyiv data centers; MiroHost noted most of its customer infrastructure outside Ukraine remained unaffected. These attacks compound prior damage and suggest coordination focused on crippling Ukraine’s internet backbone.

Known from the source

• Russian strikes damaged multiple data centers and internet providers in Kyiv on Sept. 23 and 24.
• Around 100,000 households in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast experienced internet outages due to these strikes.
• Ukraine's Digital Transformation Ministry reported ongoing assessments and restoration efforts.
• Several internet providers including UTELS, Pavutyna, Crazy Network, and Etherlink reported direct damage or outages affecting their services.
• Hosting providers MiroHost and CityHost reported destruction of data center equipment in Kyiv.

What remains unclear

In related developments, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski told reporters that a fire at a Starlink ground station in Poland’s Masovian Voivodeship on September 23 may have been a sabotage attempt, possibly linked to Russia’s hybrid warfare efforts. The station, operated by state telecom Exatel, serves as an internet hub for traffic including to Ukrainian military forces. The incident could degrade Ukrainian troops’ high-speed, difficult-to-jam communications enabled by Starlink, which supports drone operations on contested fronts. Polish authorities are still investigating.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Whether Russia is definitively responsible for the strikes on Kyiv’s internet infrastructure and the Starlink station fire, as claims currently remain unconfirmed or attributed. Precise casualty or damage extent beyond service disruptions as repairs proceed. Verification from multiple independent or official sources confirming the systematic nature and scale of the communications infrastructure attacks.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: Kyiv Independent. Open the source.