internet infrastructure

Russia says its strikes have destroyed roughly 25% of Ukraine's internet infrastructure, including facilities linked to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network. The claim, reported by Chinese and regional outlets, suggests Moscow is targeting communications systems alongside energy infrastructure. Ukraine has not confirmed the extent of the damage, and Starlink remains a critical connectivity lifeline for the country's military and civilians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is trying to leave Ukrainians without internet and mobile communications, adding that Kyiv is taking measures to counter these efforts. The statement comes as Ukraine continues to face attacks on its communications infrastructure, with officials stressing that keeping Ukrainians connected remains a priority during the war.

Russia's Ministry of Defense says its armed forces hit a Kyivstar data center in Kyiv that provides internet services to Ukraine's Armed Forces. The claim, reported by CGTN, highlights the growing targeting of telecommunications infrastructure in the war. Kyivstar is Ukraine's largest mobile operator, and any disruption to its facilities could affect both military communications and civilian connectivity in the capital.

CBS News asks whether artificial intelligence could take over the internet, presenting what experts say about the possibility. The piece examines AI's growing influence on online systems and gathers specialist views on how much control AI could realistically gain over internet infrastructure and content. No specific expert claims are detailed beyond the headline's framing of the debate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has classified information about the operation of Russian oil refineries and banned its dissemination on the internet. The move restricts public reporting on how the facilities function, a topic of heightened sensitivity amid attacks on Russian refinery infrastructure during the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian media highlighted the decree, reading it as an attempt to conceal the industry's condition.

Meta is building a transoceanic submarine cable capable of petabit-per-second speeds, intended to connect multiple continents. The project, shared by researcher Gabriele Romano, would rank among the largest private internet infrastructure efforts ever undertaken. Interest centres on how the cable could boost global bandwidth and what it signals about major tech firms building their own backbone networks rather than relying on telecom consortia.

Ukraine is reportedly preparing for the worst-case scenario regarding its internet infrastructure, according to a report by UkrMedia News. The warning suggests the country is readying contingency plans to keep connectivity running should critical networks be damaged or disabled, amid the ongoing pressures of war on national infrastructure.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky says Ukraine has, and is already implementing, a number of non-standard solutions to protect the infrastructure providing the country with internet and communications from Russian attacks. His remarks come as Russian strikes on energy and telecoms infrastructure continue to disrupt connectivity across Ukraine.

Russia struck Ukrainian internet infrastructure and warehouse targets, according to a new Ukraine war news update dated September 27. Despite the attacks, the update notes relatively more favourable statistics for Ukraine, suggesting Russian losses or Ukrainian defensive performance remained comparatively decent. The report forms part of ongoing daily coverage of drone strikes, military analysis and battlefield developments in the war.

Iraq has granted an official license for Starlink satellite internet services, according to Iraqi media reports. The move would allow SpaceX's satellite network to operate legally in the country, potentially expanding high-speed internet access in areas with weak terrestrial infrastructure. Observers are watching to see when services will launch and under what regulatory conditions.

Ukraine's cybersecurity leadership, represented by Koretskyy, has described measures the country is taking to protect its internet infrastructure against ongoing Russian cyberattacks. The remarks detail defensive preparations as Ukraine continues to face digital threats alongside the physical war, highlighting how critical networks and services are being shielded from disruption.

Cloudflare says AI agents are changing how the internet works, with automated agents rather than humans increasingly driving web traffic and altering the economics of content and services. The company argues this shift has major implications for publishers, websites and the business models that depend on human visitors.

Ukraine's Prime Minister, asked whether the country's internet is under threat, said the government must "prepare for the worst-case scenario," according to Ukrainian National News. The remarks point to concerns over potential attacks on Ukraine's communications infrastructure amid the ongoing war, and the need for contingency planning to keep the country connected.

Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet service, is preparing to launch in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to industry outlet Telecompaper. The move would bring high-speed satellite broadband to the Balkan country, potentially improving connectivity in rural and underserved areas where fixed-line infrastructure is limited. The announcement is drawing attention across the region as residents and telecom watchers assess what it could mean for internet access and competition with local providers.

Analysts are warning that solar storms pose a serious risk to power grids and digital infrastructure worldwide. A major solar event, similar to historic geomagnetic storms, could damage transformers, knock out electricity for extended periods, and disrupt satellites, communications and internet networks. The discussion highlights gaps in preparedness and calls for stronger protections and forecasting of space weather.

While public attention stays on AI debates, Meta is moving forward with a massive subsea cable project stretching roughly 4,300 miles across the ocean floor. The infrastructure aims to carry enormous volumes of internet traffic between continents, giving Meta greater control over the pipes that carry its apps' data. Observers note the project underscores how tech giants now build core internet infrastructure themselves, rivaling traditional telecom consortiums.

SES and Sky have agreed to extend their partnership on satellite capacity for the coming decade. The deal secures satellite infrastructure for Sky's broadcast distribution in Germany and beyond, ensuring continued signal delivery as the industry weighs satellite capacity against internet-based streaming. The agreement is drawing attention from media and telecom watchers tracking how pay-TV operators manage the transition to streaming.

A weekly tech roundup highlights eight developments spanning AI, cybersecurity, infrastructure and regulation. Among them: discounted access to AI tools being sold on the dark web at up to 97% off, raising concerns about unauthorised account resales, and plans for a new petabit-capacity undersea cable. The roundup asks readers which of the week's technology shifts matters most.

A new report estimates that $3.5 trillion in economic value is being lost because billions of people remain offline or underconnected. The figure highlights how limited internet access, unaffordable devices and weak infrastructure exclude large populations from the digital economy, costing businesses potential markets and governments potential growth.