Russian ties raise questions about this Wisconsin data center
A proposed hyperscale data center at the former paper mill site in Wisconsin Rapids has drawn opposition over land use, pollution, water quality and the Russian ties of the developers. The city planning commission recommended denying the developers’ conditional use permit, and the City Council is expected to make the final decision in October.
A hyperscale data center proposed in December 2025 for the site of a former paper mill in Wisconsin Rapids has faced immediate opposition from residents. Critics have raised concerns about land use, possible air pollution, water quality and the potential effect on energy costs, while public meetings also focused on the Russian backgrounds of developers Rouslon Zenerof and Anton Veronin.
The proposal was initially submitted by Zenerof and later transferred to Veronin, who became the project’s public representative. Residents questioned Veronin about his citizenship and connections to Russia, as well as his past work on Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project; the video notes that allegations of labor abuse associated with NEOM have not been tied directly to Veronin. The Wisconsin Rapids Planning Commission has recommended rejecting the project’s conditional use permit, with the Wisconsin Rapids City Council expected to decide whether to approve or deny it in October.