Russia struck the headquarters of Ukraine's largest mobile operator, Kyivstar, in Kyiv on Sunday, as Moscow intensified attacks on data centers and communications infrastructure across the country, Ukrainian officials and the company said.

Kyivstar told Interfax Ukraine that its head office was hit but said there were no casualties among its employees. Russia's Defense Ministry separately said its forces had struck a data center belonging to Vodafone Ukraine, the country's second-largest mobile network operator. Vodafone did not immediately comment on the claim.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a data center in Kyiv was struck twice on Sunday morning, injuring two children and an adult.

The attacks followed a series of strikes on Ukrainian internet and telecommunications infrastructure during the previous week. Ukraine's Digital Ministry said the attacks had disrupted services for about 100,000 households in Kyiv and surrounding areas. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the targeting of data centers threatened systems used to transmit warnings about incoming Russian missile and drone attacks.

"Rapid alerts about missile and drone threats are essential — they save lives," Sybiha said.

Kyiv faces renewed wave of attacks

Russia's strikes on communications infrastructure came amid a broader escalation in aerial attacks against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

On Monday, Russian drones struck central Kyiv, killing at least one person and injuring others, according to Ukrainian authorities. A drone hit the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, a historic building in the center of the capital, while other strikes damaged civilian and commercial infrastructure.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least 19 people were injured in the Monday attacks, with several requiring hospital treatment. The strikes also hit other parts of the country, with Ukrainian authorities reporting casualties in several regions.

Early Tuesday, explosions were again reported in Kyiv. Klitschko said missile debris landed in the courtyard of a residential building and that a non-residential structure caught fire. The attacks followed a barrage on Monday that Ukrainian authorities said killed nine people and injured more than 80 across the country.

The recent attacks have included residential buildings, offices, fuel facilities, communications sites and other civilian infrastructure. Russia has said some of its strikes were directed at military-related facilities and logistics infrastructure.

Data centers become a new target

The attacks on telecommunications infrastructure have raised particular concern because Ukraine relies heavily on digital communications for civilian services and wartime emergency alerts.

Several Ukrainian data centers were hit between Sept. 23 and Sept. 25, according to Ukrainian and international media reports. The facilities included sites operated by internet and technology companies in Kyiv. Some providers said they were able to maintain services through backup systems despite damage to individual facilities.

Ukraine has accused Moscow of deliberately seeking to disrupt the country's information networks. Russia has not publicly acknowledged all of the individual strikes, although its Defense Ministry has claimed attacks on data centers and communications facilities.

The strikes come as Ukraine enters another winter under sustained Russian aerial bombardment, increasing pressure on the country's energy, communications and transport infrastructure.

Economic and civilian toll grows

The latest attacks have added to the economic pressure caused by Russia's long-running campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure.

On Friday, Russia's strikes on Kyiv killed seven people, including a 14-year-old boy, and wounded 58 others, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attacks also prompted ArcelorMittal to halt operations at its steel plant in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine's largest steelmaking facility, citing security concerns.

The repeated attacks have also increased concerns about Ukraine's ability to protect critical infrastructure as Russia deploys larger numbers of drones and increasingly uses faster jet-powered systems. Ukrainian officials have called for additional air-defense capabilities and stronger international pressure on Moscow.

Peace efforts remain stalled

The escalation has continued despite diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Russian and Ukrainian officials have maintained contacts through international channels, but no comprehensive ceasefire agreement has been reached. Recent diplomatic discussions at the United Nations General Assembly have failed to produce a breakthrough, while Moscow and Kyiv continue to accuse each other of undermining efforts toward a settlement.

Meanwhile, fighting and long-range strikes continue across the front and deep inside both countries.

The latest attacks underscore the growing importance of communications infrastructure in the war, with mobile networks, data centers and internet systems increasingly intertwined with civilian services, emergency warnings and Ukraine's broader wartime communications network.

As Russian strikes continue, Ukrainian authorities are working to strengthen backup systems and protect critical infrastructure while seeking additional air-defense support from international partners. (ILKHA)