A Russian court on Monday ordered internet company “Yandex“ to block access to maps and images of one of Russia's largest oil refineries because of constant attacks by Ukrainian drones, Reuters and TASS reported.
“Yandex“, often called the “Russian “Google“, operates the country's largest search engine and other online services such as maps, translations and email, as well as ride-hailing and food delivery.
A Moscow court ordered “Yandex“ to exclude information about the refinery's infrastructure from its search engine by removing and redacting images of workshops, compressor stations and other parts of the plant from the “Yandex Maps“ application.
It is not clear which refinery the court order refers to, but according to TASS, the facility was attacked four times by Ukrainian drones in 2024.
Ukraine has carried out a series of strikes on Russian oil storage facilities and refineries in response to the invasion that began in 2022 and the constant attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, Reuters reports.
The court's decision is subject to appeal. “Yandex“ declined to comment on the decision.
According to TASS, the refinery tried to resolve the issue in direct talks with “Yandex“ before turning to the court. The lawsuit filed in court alleged that the availability of information about the refinery online undermined Russia's defense capabilities and had a negative impact on the country's armed forces.