Russian bot farms are still trolling, even after Ukraine’s drone strikes on Yandex

<figure> <img alt="UAV Pilot Training In Ukraine" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Photo by Andriy Zhyhaylo/Obozrevatel/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24733136/1498885624.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Days after Ukrainian military drones took down several Russian data centers, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/12/zelenskyy-vows-retaliate-russia-strikes-ukraine-power-grid">claimed</a> that the campaign had hurt Russia's disinformation efforts. "It suddenly became a little easier to breathe on many social platforms," Zelenskyy said Monday. "There was less hate, less division, and fewer provocations."</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Zelenskyy isn't the first to assert that the drone operation, which targeted data centers belonging to the Russian technology company Yandex, has cut down on spam and disinformation campaigns fomented by Russian bot farms. Social media users have <a href="https://x.com/ValdemarOsted/status/2109742982568313237">claimed</a> they've noticed less traffic on posts by MAGA-affiliated a …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/1010424/yandex-drone-strike-outage-disinformation-zelenskyy">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>