Rostelecom plans underground data centres as Ukrainian drones hit Russian facilities
Russia's largest internet provider Rostelecom plans to build hardened underground data centres, Vedomosti reported, after Ukrainian drones struck data centres of Yandex and Sberbank. Ars Technica places the plan within wider Kremlin moves to protect computing infrastructure.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1Rostelecom, Russia's largest internet provider, plans to build underground data centres with "an increased level of protection against external threats", the business daily Vedomosti reported, citing sources at the company. MeduzaLC “Rostelecom, Russia’s largest internet provider, plans to build underground data centers with “an increased level of protection against external threats,”” Read at Meduza ↗ Left · 1Another source told Vedomosti that Rostelecom is in talks with Nornickel about building an underground data centre together; experts said Nornickel could contribute its expertise in underground construction and mine safety. MeduzaLC “Rostelecom is in talks with Nornickel about building an underground data center together, another source familiar with the discussions told the newspaper.”“Nornickel could contribute its expertise in underground construction and mine safety.” Read at Meduza ↗ Left · 1Sources said underground placement could protect data centres not only from drones but also from certain missile strikes, and experts said Rostelecom could offer government and corporate clients an additional format of secure infrastructure for data backup. MeduzaLC “placing data centers underground could protect them not only from drones, but also from certain missile strikes.”“Rostelecom could offer government and corporate clients an additional format of secure infrastructure for data backup” Read at Meduza ↗
Left · 1A Rostelecom source described underground siting as only the last of three levels of protection, after a backup site holding copies of data and the spreading of computing capacity across several geographically dispersed sites. MeduzaLC “Placing data centers underground is only the last of three levels of protection, a source at Rostelecom said.” Read at Meduza ↗ Left · 1In late October the Digital Development Ministry approved recommendations for protecting against drone attacks and other aerial threats, including placing data centres underground, after Ukrainian drones struck data centres belonging to Yandex and Sberbank. MeduzaLC “The Digital Development Ministry approved a list of recommendations in late October for protecting against drone attacks and other aerial threats, including placing data centers underground.”“after Ukrainian drones struck data centers belonging to Yandex and Sberbank.” Read at Meduza ↗ Left · 1Ars Technica reports that Ukrainian strikes have also degraded or knocked out data centres run by VKontakte and the Russian Ministry of Finance, disrupting payment and banking apps, e-commerce, streaming and ride-hailing services. It adds that Russian forces have specifically targeted Ukrainian data centres since late September. Ars TechnicaLC “degrading or knocking out data centers operated by Russian tech giant Yandex, the state-owned bank Sberbank, social media site VKontakte, and the Russian Ministry of Finance.”“along with specifically targeting Ukrainian data centers since late September” Read at Ars Technica ↗
Left · 1According to Ars Technica, citing Meduza, Yandex has relocated all three of its main supercomputers after drone strikes on the AI data centres that housed them. Ars TechnicaLC “Yandex has also been forced to relocate all three of its main supercomputers after Ukrainian drone strikes targeted the AI data centers where they were originally housed, Meduza reported.” Read at Ars Technica ↗ Left · 1Ars Technica also cites Data Center Dynamics on a proposal by a Russian regional governor to build data centres inside open-pit coal mines, with parks planted above as camouflage. Ars TechnicaLC “a recent proposal by a Russian regional governor to build data centers within open-pit coal mines while planting green public parks above as camouflage.” Read at Ars Technica ↗ Left · 1Ars Technica, citing Meduza, says Putin signed a decree on 2 November requiring data centre operators to set aside 10 percent of available space and capacity for possible government needs, and allowing a special government commission, in consultation with the FSB, to authorise use of foreign data centres. Ars TechnicaLC “On November 2, Putin also signed a decree ordering Russian data center operators to set aside 10 percent of available space and capacity in case the Russian government requires it, according to independent Russian news publication Meduza.”“Putin’s decree also allows a special Russian government commission to authorize use of foreign data centers in consultation with Russia’s Federal Security Service.” Read at Ars Technica ↗
Left · 1Ars Technica interprets this as a notable policy change given the "Sovereign Internet Law", and argues that Russia's centralised system proved vulnerable, whereas Ukraine's dispersed services, partly buried underground and migrated to cloud regions in Europe with help from Amazon and Microsoft, have been more resilient. This is the outlet's own assessment. Ars TechnicaLC “That hyper-centralized system has now proven vulnerable during wartime”“Ukraine’s decentralized digital services have proven much more resilient despite years of Russian drone and missile attacks” Read at Ars Technica ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Meduza gives a short news item on the Vedomosti report; Ars Technica frames it as a hasty Russian response to Ukrainian strikes and a backfiring 'data center war'.
- Emphasis
- Meduza: the plan's three-level protection logic, the Nornickel talks and ministry recommendations. Ars Technica: Russian vulnerability, the Kremlin decree, and contrast with Ukraine's resilience.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet reports an official Rostelecom statement, a timeline, cost or location for the facilities; Ars Technica says the possibility was 'raised' in talks, not that construction is decided.
- Charged language
- “hasty”“scrambling”“data center war backfires”
- For example
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“Russia tries to fix exposed digital infrastructure as data center war backfires.” — Ars Technica
“Placing data centers underground is only the last of three levels of protection, a source at Rostelecom said.” — Meduza
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Rostelecom is reported to be planning underground data centres, per Vedomosti.
- Talks with Nornickel (Norilsk) over the idea are reported.
- Ukrainian drone strikes have hit Russian data centres including those of Yandex and Sberbank.
Rostelecom organisation
Per anonymous company sources cited by Vedomosti, Rostelecom plans underground data centres as the last of three protection levels and is in talks with Nornickel; no on-record statement is reported.
“Placing data centers underground is only the last of three levels of protection, a source at Rostelecom said.” — Meduza
“Rostelcom has raised the possibility of moving some Russian data centers underground in talks with the nickel and palladium mining company Norilsk” — Ars Technica
Left2 articles
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MeduzaLC ·
Russian telecom giant Rostelecom to build underground data centers to protect against drones
Neutral Brief factual relay of Vedomosti's report with background on the ministry recommendations.
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Ukraine’s drone strikes spur hasty Russian plans for underground data centers
Critical Presents the plan as a hasty reaction showing the weakness of Russia's centralised internet, contrasted with Ukraine's resilience.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 2 Nov 14:01 First MeduzaLC Russian telecom giant Rostelecom to build underground data centers to protect against drones
- 3 Nov 20:39 +30h 38m Ars TechnicaLC Ukraine’s drone strikes spur hasty Russian plans for underground data centers
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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