The Yandex outage probably didn’t blitz Russian bots
Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian data centres have sparked widespread claims on social media that Russian disinformation bot networks were knocked offline. However, researchers have debunked these claims, clarifying that the data actually shows declines in automated web crawlers used by Yandex, Russia's search engine equivalent, rather than bot farms spreading misinformation. This distinction matters because it demonstrates how misinformation itself can spread when people misinterpret data without proper verification.
A chart citing Cloudflare data circulated widely, showing bot traffic plummeting after Yandex server attacks, leading many to assume Russian troll farms had been disabled. However, researcher antibot4navalny clarified the data measures requests from Yandex web crawlers—automated tools used for legitimate purposes like indexing websites and providing customer support, as well as for malicious uses like account hacking. A separate chart claiming the attacks reduced disinformation targeting Germany's AfD political party appears to be AI-generated, with a data point dated for October 15th (a future date), and its source remains unverified. Meanwhile, Yandex's own services remain offline, with the company unable to provide a restoration timeline for its payment systems.
- Claims that drone strikes disabled Russian disinformation networks misinterpret data about routine web crawlers
- The data actually tracks Yandex automated crawlers used for indexing and customer service, not bot farms
- One related chart appears AI-generated with false information
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The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has included attacks on Russian infrastructure and systems. Following strikes on Russian data centres, claims spread online suggesting that Russian networks used for spreading disinformation and propaganda had been knocked offline as a result.
Russian disinformation operations typically involve networks of automated accounts, sometimes called 'bot farms' or 'troll farms', designed to spread false information across the internet. However, automated systems serve many legitimate purposes: Yandex, Russia's main search engine, uses web crawlers—automated tools for indexing websites and running search services—which are distinct from accounts specifically designed to spread propaganda.
This story is significant because it demonstrates how confusion around technical data can allow misinformation itself to spread unchecked. When people share charts or data without clear sources or explanation, others may misunderstand what the data actually shows, leading them to draw false conclusions and share them widely.