Russian governor proposes using abandoned coal mines for data centers

Kemerovo region Governor Ilya Seredyuk has proposed converting abandoned coal mines into data centers. This suggestion follows reported damage to digital infrastructure from Ukrainian drone attacks. The plan aims to repurpose exhausted open pits for computing facilities, cryptocurrency operations, and other technical infrastructure. According to TechRadar, the proposal seeks to leverage existing geological features for new industrial uses.

Why consider mining sites for data centers?

Seredyuk introduced the idea during the recent Russian Energy Week. He argued that building in exhausted pits could reduce construction expenses while providing physical protection against aerial attacks. Some former open pits reach approximately 300 meters deep. This depth creates substantial vertical space for infrastructure without requiring conventional surface construction across large areas. The proposal aims to avoid the costs of reclaiming the mines for traditional use.

What are the proposed operational benefits?

The governor suggested that accumulated mine water and underground waterways could help lower cooling expenses for server infrastructure. He also proposed covering underground installations with roofs and developing landscaped areas above them. This approach could potentially create parks across reclaimed mining properties. Such arrangements might conceal server buildings from direct observation, although landscaping alone would not establish meaningful protection against aerial surveillance or precision attacks.

What are the risks and technical challenges?

At this stage, the initiative remains a proposal with uncertain technical feasibility. Converting deep open pits into dependable computing facilities would require substantial engineering assessments. These assessments would need to cover structural stability, water management, electricity supply, ventilation, and emergency access. Modern commercial data centers are increasingly treated as legitimate military targets because they run cloud computing, AI, and military-logistics networks.

Questions to ask your suppliers

Teams should verify whether their providers host infrastructure in geographically sensitive or conflict-adjacent regions. Check if vendors have disclosed their physical security strategies for data centers, particularly regarding aerial threats. Ensure that service level agreements address potential disruptions from infrastructure damage or regional instability. Management needs to understand how supplier location choices impact overall risk posture. Verify that contingency plans exist for scenarios where physical sites become targets.

What to do and how to stay safe

• Review supplier geographic

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General security guidance from the TechSec Feed newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.