Kyiv needs stronger air and counter-drone defenses
A recent rise in Russian attacks on data centers and communications infrastructure is forcing Ukraine to urgently strengthen its defenses, the country’s former deputy defense minister has warned. Kateryna Chernohorenko says Ukraine must expand its underground networks and improve its ability to intercept ballistic missiles and drones to prevent the loss of critical infrastructure.
Over the past month, Russia has continued to target Ukrainian digital infrastructure, which was not a primary focus during the earlier stages of the war. On September 27, a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Kyivstar, the country’s largest mobile operator. On the same day, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed responsibility for an attack on the data center of Vodafone Ukraine, the country’s second-largest mobile network.
Data centers increasingly in the crosshairs
Chernohorenko, who served as deputy defense minister for digital transformation from 2023 to 2025, said data centers had come under more frequent attack in recent weeks, including strikes by Shahed drones. She also warned that Russian cyberattacks—launched even before the full-scale invasion—have become increasingly sophisticated.
The issue has reached Ukraine’s highest levels of government. On September 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced additional measures to protect data centers and ensure the uninterrupted operation of critical communications infrastructure.
Underground protection has its limits
Ukraine took preventive measures early in the war, including moving some data centers abroad and investing in underground networks to shield infrastructure from aerial attacks. But Chernohorenko said the current threat demands additional resources and protections.
Russia has also moved some facilities underground, including drone-production sites, making them harder to strike and requiring constant monitoring. Still, the former official noted, not every facility can be moved below ground.
She argued that Ukraine urgently needs to strengthen its defenses against ballistic missiles and drones—capabilities that are already in critically short supply.
F-16 fleet faces maintenance delays
Chernohorenko said Ukraine’s F-16s are among its most effective tools against Russian jet-powered drones. But the fleet faces significant maintenance problems and delays.
She said the aircraft are far behind schedule after being transferred from the United States to Belgium, where maintenance can take up to 40 weeks, compared with the usual two to six weeks.
Without thousands of rounds for the F-16s and a faster maintenance cycle, Chernohorenko warned, Ukraine could face a shortage of operational fighter jets by the end of the year.
