Ukraine's PM on threat of losing internet access in Ukraine: "We must prepare for the worst-case scenario"
Ukraine's Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi has stated that due to targeted Russian strikes on data centres, there is a constant threat of losing internet access, which is why Ukraine is preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Source: Koretskyi in an interview for Ukrainian media outlet TSN.Tyzhden
Details: Commenting on recent discussions among the Staff of the Supreme Commander-In-Chief regarding Russian attacks on telecommunications facilities, the head of government emphasised that the danger to all critical infrastructure will persist until the end of the full-scale war.
According to Koretskyi, the Cabinet of Ministers is applying non-standard solutions to safeguard digital data and equipment. Part of the infrastructure is being moved underground, another part is being placed in cloud storage or physically relocated abroad. Depending on the need, these three methods can be applied simultaneously.
The prime minister stressed that there is no single universal rule for protecting such facilities, but the government is constantly building up protection based on the worst-case scenario.
Quote: "Firstly, we are protecting it. Secondly, there are non-standard solutions. Some things have to be kept underground, some things need to be in the cloud, some must be abroad, some should be a mix and some must involve all three simultaneously. Therefore, there is no single... rule, but the fact is that we must plan for the worst-case scenario, think in those terms and prepare ourselves accordingly."
Background:
- Between 23 and 25 September 2026, Russian forces launched a series of targeted attacks on Ukrainian data centres belonging to Utels, MiroHost and Datagroup, as well as communication hubs.
- As a result of the strikes, equipment belonging to a number of Kyiv internet service providers and major telecommunications companies was destroyed or damaged. Due to this, hundreds of thousands of customers in the capital, Kyiv Oblast and other regions of the country experienced temporary internet outages.
- Following these events, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, after which officials and heads of special services were instructed to implement additional solutions to protect the country's telecommunications infrastructure.
Subscribe on Patreon to back our journalism long-term.