Russia’s Putin orders private data centers to reserve 10% of capacity

According to CNA's November 2 report, Russian owners of non-state data centers must reserve 10% of their capacity to help keep the country’s IT infrastructure running under a decree President Vladimir Putin signed that day. The measure would allow authorities to quickly access available capacity when needed.

The decree follows Ukrainian drone attacks that struck facilities operated by Yandex and Sberbank in October. Yandex provides internet services including search and cloud computing; Sberbank is a majority state-owned Russian banking and financial services company.

Earlier powers to protect infrastructure

Kommersant said on 24 August 2026 that Putin had signed an earlier decree allowing temporary government management of critical infrastructure if owners violated security measures, including protection against drone attacks, or delayed restoring damaged facilities.

How authorities would obtain access

Under the November decree, a special government commission is to be established with power to order reserved capacity released. Operators would have to provide access within 24 hours of its decision. The decree also permits temporary use of data centers abroad, subject to approval by Russia’s FSB security service.

CNA’s November 2 report does not specify the requirement’s effective date, the method for calculating capacity, exemptions, compensation arrangements, activation triggers or practical access procedures beyond the commission’s decision and the 24-hour access deadline.

Putin instructed Russia’s Digital Development Ministry to inventory available capacity and floor space at privately owned data centers across the country. That inventory and the establishment of the commission are the implementation steps ordered under the decree.