Ukrainian operator Kyivstar says it was targeted by a massive cyberattack on Tuesday that successfully knocked out voice and internet services for all of its 24.3 million mobile subscribers and 1.1 million home internet subscribers.
The cyberattack also resulted in shops that use Kyivstar’s network to connect their payment systems being unable to process credit card payments. It also disrupted air raid alert systems in parts of Kyiv, according to media reports.
Kyivstar said its technical teams are working to restore service as soon as possible. According to a report from Reuters on Wednesday, Kyivstar had managed to partially restore fixed-line services by Tuesday evening, and hopes to restore all other services later today.
Kyivstar, a subsidiary of Amsterdam-based Veon, said also said that to the best of its knowledge so far, personal data of subscribers has not been compromised.
Veon said in a statement that it and Kyivstar are also cooperating with Ukrainian law enforcement agencies to determine the origin, circumstances and consequences of the cyberattack, as well as why the attack succeeded.
According to the Kyiv Post, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has opened a criminal investigation into the cyberattack.
The actors behind the attack remain unidentified, but Kyivstar general director Oleksandr Komarov said during a TV interview that it was very likely part of the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, the report said.
“This is a war, it takes place not only on the battlefield, it also takes place in virtual space and unfortunately, we are affected as a result of this war,” he said.
Reuters reports that Russian hacktivist group Killnet claimed responsibility for the attack via a statement on Telegram, but the group provided no evidence to back that up.
The report also said the cyberattack is believed to be the largest in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022.
