Russia strikes data center in Kiev – MOD

Russia has struck a commercial data center in Kiev and infrastructure in the Ukrainian port of Odessa, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.

The 4,500-square-meter Be Mobile facility in the Ukrainian capital was among a string of military-linked industrial, logistics, and port targets hit overnight with precision weapons and attack drones, according to the ministry’s morning update on Friday.

Multiple videos circulated by Ukrainian media show a fire reportedly caused by a jet-powered drone strike. 

Footage shows bright sparks and apparent secondary explosions, fueling speculation that munitions may have been stored at the site.

The incident comes amid growing tensions in Ukraine over the military’s use of facilities close to residential areas to store explosives.

In late August, a Russian strike on an ammunition depot in the village of Milaya northwest of Kiev triggered a massive detonation that killed 35 people and damaged hundreds of nearby homes. This week, a security official responsible for setting up and operating the depot was formally accused of negligence.

Russia’s latest operation also reportedly targeted two logistics hubs in Khmelnitsky Region and Dnepropetrovsk Region, both of which the ministry said were used to store drone parts.

In Odessa Region, the ministry said multiple targets were struck, including a repair shop servicing Ukrainian military hardware, another storage facility for drone components, as well as several cargo ships and fuel depots linked to the Ukrainian military.

Ukraine made attacks on Russian civilian ships a key part of its attempted “pressure campaign” during the summer. Russian retaliation has since virtually paralyzed shipping through ports in Odessa Region.