Russian Jet-Powered Drones Exploit Air Defense Gaps to Strike Data Centers and Disrupt Ukrainian Internet Services

Russian jet-powered attack drones have intensified strikes on Ukraine’s data centers and telecom networks, disrupting mobile and Internet services for thousands of people. On September 23, 2026, a Russian Geran-5 drone struck an office building in Kyiv that held a data center and key Internet backbone nodes. The digital transformation ministry stated that 100,000 households in the Kyiv region faced temporary Internet outages from initial strikes.

Experts note that Russia is exploiting air defense gaps by using upgraded jet-powered drones that are harder to shoot down. Ukrainian air defenses intercept over 85 percent of conventional Shahed-type drones, but that rate drops to 50 or 60 percent against the faster jet versions. Officials and industry figures warn that these repeated attacks threaten the telecommunication networks supporting banks, payment systems, public services, and media outlets.