VK users encounter outages after reported drone strike on data center

Users of VK, Russia's leading social networking platform, began reporting widespread service problems on Sunday, after a drone strike allegedly damaged a key data centre supporting the site. The outage, first noted by individuals trying to scroll through news feeds, stream music or use other VK features, quickly spread across the platform, prompting a surge of complaints on various online forums.

According to the reports, the most common issues involved slow or failed loading of the news feed, interruptions in music playback, and difficulty accessing messaging and video services. Some users said the app would freeze or display error messages, while others experienced complete inability to log in. The disruptions appeared to affect both the desktop and mobile versions of VK, suggesting a central infrastructure problem rather than isolated server glitches.

VK, owned by the Mail.ru Group, commands a user base that rivals the size of other major global networks, with tens of millions of daily active users relying on it for social interaction, news consumption and entertainment. Its integrated services, ranging from music streaming to video hosting, make it a critical component of Russia's digital ecosystem, especially in a market where many Western platforms are restricted or limited.

The reported drone strike adds to a series of physical and cyber incidents targeting Russian digital infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict in the region. While officials have not confirmed the identity of the attackers, analysts note that similar tactics have been employed in recent months to disrupt communications and data services. The strike underscores the growing vulnerability of data centres, which, despite robust cybersecurity measures, can be exposed to kinetic attacks that bypass traditional digital defenses.

VK has not released an official statement regarding the incident, and its technical team is reportedly working to restore full functionality. Industry observers suggest that recovery could take several hours to days, depending on the extent of the damage and the availability of backup systems. The outage highlights the broader challenges faced by Russian internet providers in maintaining service continuity amid heightened geopolitical tensions, and it may prompt a reassessment of how critical digital assets are protected against both cyber and physical threats.