Yandex Ordered to Remove or Retouch Images of Russian Military Facility from Maps
A court has ruled that Yandex must remove or retouch images of a Russian military facility from its mapping service, Yandex Maps, within a month. The company must also pay a court fee.
The facility, a refinery, is of strategic importance as it supplies the Russian military and navy. It has been the target of Ukrainian drone attacks on multiple occasions, including in 2024, resulting in damage to the infrastructure and injuries to employees.
Yandex’s representatives initially tried to resolve the issue out of court, but failed, prompting the authorities to take action. A representative of the authorities stated that Yandex Maps made information about the facility’s strategic installations freely available, which is a concern given its importance.
The court supported the authorities’ arguments in full, upholding the claim. This is the first ruling to oblige the Russian IT company to exclude photos and maps of a strategically important defense facility from public view.
Ukrainian drones regularly target Russian oil refineries, with most attacks repelled by air defense systems. However, some attacks cause fires, damage infrastructure, and injure employees. The Novoshachtinsk refinery in the Rostov region, for instance, has been attacked and damaged multiple times, including a recent fire in December, which was attributed to a drone attack. The facility was previously targeted by Ukraine in June 2022 and March and June 2024.