Russia’s Digital Development Ministry proposes placing strategically important data centers underground or in bunkers

Russia’s Digital Development Ministry has approved recommendations for protecting data centers from drone attacks and other aerial threats, the Russian business daily Kommersant reported, citing a document it had reviewed.

The ministry wants to divide critical data centers into three categories based on the consequences a potential attack could cause. The first category, K1, covers strategic facilities whose damage could disrupt key government functions for an hour or more.

Security requirements will vary by category. For strategic facilities, the recommendations call for underground or bunker placement, Kommersant reported.

The recommendations also call for reducing data centers’ visibility from the air, combining “physical reinforcement” with electronic warfare equipment and systems to counter aerial threats.

The recommendations, which Kommersant reviewed, apply to data centers in Russia that are being designed, built, or already operating, regardless of ownership or operator.

In October, Ukraine began striking similar facilities in Russia in response to Russian military strikes on data centers in Kyiv. Within a week, Ukrainian strikes hit three of the six data centers belonging to Yandex, in Sasovo in the Ryazan region, in Kaluga, and in Vladimir. Ukraine then struck a data center belonging to Sberbank in the Saratov region.

IT market sources cited by Kommersant estimated that replacing equipment knocked out by the Ukrainian strikes on Yandex’s data centers will take up to six months.