Another Russian missile strike on the capital caused internet disruptions in Kyiv. But is there evidence that the enemy has scouted all data centers and can completely “shut down” the capital?
Ivan Arefiev writes about this exclusively for the Prompolitinform portal, separating confirmed facts from rumors.
Following the Russian attack on September 23, some Kyiv residents indeed experienced internet issues. Providers UTELS and Pavutyna reported damage to their infrastructure, and according to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, disruptions in Kyiv and the region affected approximately 100,000 subscribers. These are not rumors from an anonymous channel. These are the consequences of the strike that people experienced firsthand.
Against this backdrop, a warning spread across the network: allegedly, russia has scouted 40 data centers in Kyiv and is preparing to destroy them to leave the capital completely without internet and communications. It sounds frightening. That is precisely why such a statement must be verified with extra care.
The verified public reports from the Air Force of the ZSU include warnings about air threats to Kyiv and summaries of the September 23 attack. There is no confirmation of the number “40” or a forecast for a complete blackout of the capital in them. I have also found no public evidence that russia has conducted reconnaissance on these specific forty objects.
Does this mean there is no threat? No. Damage to provider infrastructure has been proven. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that russia is purposefully attacking large Ukrainian data centers. Therefore, repeated strikes on communication facilities are a risk worth preparing for. But a real risk does not turn an unconfirmed figure into a fact.
There is also a technical side to the issue. A strike on a data center can leave subscribers of certain providers without services and disrupt the operation of individual services. However, it does not follow that all of Kyiv will simultaneously lose both internet and mobile communications. The scale of the consequences depends on the damaged equipment, backup channels, power supply, and the work of emergency crews. It was partial disruptions, not a full blackout of the capital, that were recorded after the September 23 attack.
My conclusion is simple: the enemy is striking communications — this is true. “Forty data centers” and “they will completely shut down Kyiv” is currently an unconfirmed claim. One must prepare for the threat: operators should maintain backup solutions, and people should have charged devices and alternative ways to contact loved ones. But one should not forward a terrifying figure without a source.
Because a Russian missile causes damage to infrastructure. A panic-inducing message without evidence damages our heads. Air defense and communication specialists fight the former. Each of us can handle the latter ourselves: stop and verify before clicking “share.”
Author: Ivan Arefiev
Photocollage: Andrii Atlantov
Photo: 40 Дата-центрів/фотоколаж Андрій Атлантов
