- Russia proposes abandoned coal mines as potential sites for future data centers
- Some exhausted open pits reach depths of approximately 300 metres
- Accumulated mine water could offer another option for cooling infrastructure
Russia is considering abandoned coal mines as potential locations for data centers, following reported damage to digital infrastructure during Ukrainian drone attacks.
Ilya Seredyuk, governor of the Kemerovo region, has proposed using exhausted mining sites for computing facilities, cryptocurrency operations and other infrastructure.
The idea could reduce construction expenses while providing additional physical protection for servers against attacks from above.
Abandoned mines offer space and potential protection
Seredyuk introduced the proposal during the recent Russian Energy Week, arguing that instead of spending money to reclaim the mines, they could just build new facilities.
Some former open pits reach about 300m deep, creating substantial vertical space for infrastructure without requiring conventional surface construction across large areas.
Seredyuk also suggested that accumulated mine water and underground waterways could help lower cooling expenses.
At the moment, this is simply a proposal and the technical feasibility of such a project remains uncertain.
The governor suggested covering underground installations with roofs and developing landscaped areas above them, potentially creating parks across reclaimed mining properties.
Such arrangements could conceal server buildings from direct observation, although landscaping alone would not establish meaningful protection against aerial surveillance or precision attacks.
Modern commercial and hyperscale data centers are increasingly treated as legitimate military and strategic targets because they run cloud computing, AI, surveillance, and military-logistics networks.
Consequently, developing public parks above underground server facilities could expose civilians, including children, to potential risks if those installations became targets.
Russia's struggling coal industry could also benefit if abandoned mining properties attracted investment for alternative industrial uses.
However, converting deep open pits into dependable computing facilities would require substantial engineering assessments covering structural stability, water management, electricity supply, ventilation and emergency access.
Yandex incidents expose infrastructure vulnerabilities
The proposal comes amid concerns about attacks on Russia's digital infrastructure, including facilities operated by Yandex, one of the country's major technology companies.
Reports said a drone attack sparked a fire at a Yandex data center in Sasovo, within the Ryazan region, on October 8 2026.
Yandex subsequently suspended operations at the affected facility, although the company did not publicly confirm the full extent of the reported damage.
The incident raised questions about the vulnerability of concentrated computing infrastructure during continuing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian outlet Verstka also reported that Yandex had obscured four cloud data center locations on its mapping service.
Those facilities were identified as being in Mytishchi, Kaluga, Vladimir and Sasovo, although concealing map locations does not establish that every site suffered damage.
Moving data centers underground could introduce new engineering difficulties, particularly where groundwater accumulates, or mining operations have weakened surrounding rock.
Reliable computing facilities also require continuous electricity, redundant connectivity, fire suppression, and accessible maintenance routes, regardless of their physical depth.
All these factors would need careful assessment before Russia could determine whether abandoned coal mines offer a practical alternative to conventional data center sites.
Via United24media
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