Money in the bank, but no access — Ukraine strikes leave Russians struggling

Ukrainian strikes on data centres operated by Russian technology company Yandex have disrupted digital services across Russia, leaving some users unable to access bank accounts, book taxis or use smart-home devices. The attacks mark a widening of the conflict, with digital infrastructure increasingly caught up in the fighting.

The strikes come as Kyiv faces pressure from Washington to avoid targeting Russian energy facilities, amid concerns about maintaining diesel supplies to international markets.

For some Russians, the disruption has had immediate financial consequences. Irina, a blogger from St Petersburg, told NBC News that she could not access her money during the outage.

"I ended up in a situation where I had absolutely no money. Well, I had the money, but it was inaccessible," she said.

With her rent due on the day the disruption began, Irina hoped the problem would be resolved quickly, saying “it would be fixed in a few hours,"

Yandex data centres damaged in Ukrainian strikes

The attacks reportedly began on October 8, with three of Yandex’s five main data centres damaged in a series of Ukrainian strikes earlier this month.

The disruption affected services used for everyday activities, prompting complaints on social media. Users reported problems booking taxis, ordering meals and accessing documents stored on Yandex platforms.

The incidents followed Russian attacks on data centres across Ukraine that began several weeks earlier, according to the report.

While most Yandex services have since resumed operations, some users continue to face financial difficulties linked to the outage. Three people told NBC News that disruptions to Yandex Pay, a digital payment platform used in Russia, had left them unable to access their money.

The incident has highlighted how damage to digital infrastructure can affect routine transactions and access to essential services.

Russia steps up attacks on Ukraine

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russia had targeted energy facilities across Ukraine using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones.

Zelenskyy also voiced concern over a lack of intelligence inputs from allied countries, which had previously provided information about Russian attacks, CBC reported.

Separately, Moscow and Kyiv are discussing the evacuation of residents from Oleshky, a town under Russian occupation. A Ukrainian human rights official said around 2,000 residents had been without access to food and medical care for months, raising concerns about their condition.

The developments come as attacks on infrastructure continue on both sides, affecting services and civilian life.