Ukraine Targets Russian Sberbank Data Centre as Drone Attacks Disrupt Over 500 Flights

According to The Guardian news on October 14, 2026, Ukrainian drones targeted a major data centre being constructed for Russian state-owned lender Sberbank in the Saratov region, as widespread drone attacks disrupted air travel and damaged infrastructure across Russia.

Sberbank’s First Deputy Chief Executive, Alexander Vedyakhin, said the attack occurred overnight in Balakovo, a city along the Volga River. He confirmed that the bank’s systems and online services remained operational and that no employees were injured.

However, users across Russia reported disruptions affecting Sberbank, its GigaChat artificial intelligence service and other online platforms, according to outage tracker Detector404. No confirmed connection between the reported outages and the drone attack was established.

Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said infrastructure facilities continued operating normally but reported that a woman was killed and several homes were damaged during the attacks. Satellite fire-monitoring data also indicated multiple fires in Balakovo.

The targeted facility, which began construction in 2021, covers approximately 55,000 square metres and represents an investment of 122.2 billion rubles. Sberbank expects the project to be completed in 2030, with plans for it to support Russia’s expanding artificial intelligence and computing capabilities.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its air defence systems destroyed 902 Ukrainian drones across 19 Russian regions and Crimea between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said hundreds of drones approached the capital, prompting authorities to impose restrictions at all four Moscow airports. The disruption affected more than 500 flights.

The incident follows previous Ukrainian drone attacks that reportedly damaged data centres belonging to Russian technology company Yandex.

Russia also accused Ukraine of attacking oil refineries in the Saratov and Ryazan regions. However, Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn denied that refineries were targeted, saying Ukraine struck a data centre and another unidentified location.

The latest attacks highlight the growing vulnerability of Russia’s digital infrastructure amid the continuing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.

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