Other companies also affected
Hackers paralyze Ukrainian mobile phone provider
December 12, 2023, 6:13 p.m
This morning, Ukraine’s largest mobile phone provider, Kyivstar, said it was the victim of a hacker attack. Connections are failing across the country. The company said the police were called in. Other companies are also affected.
An unprecedented attack has paralyzed Ukraine’s largest mobile phone provider. “On the morning of December 12th, Kyivstar’s network was the target of a strong hacker attack, which is the reason for the technical disruptions,” the company said in a statement to X. The police were called in. The company assured that personal data should not fall into unauthorized hands.
Telephone and Internet connections in the provider’s network failed across the country. The company website was also down. It is not yet clear when the mobile network will work again, Kyivstar boss Olexander Komarov said via video. According to media reports, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Olexander Kubrakow previously stated that he wanted to resolve the network failure within the next few hours.
As an alternative, Kyivstar recommended that subscribers switch to the networks of other providers. After the Russian invasion more than 21 months ago, a free transition was agreed between all Ukrainian mobile phone providers. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko also pointed out free internet access in the warming points set up by the state. Initially nothing was known about the origin of the hackers. According to media reports, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Olexander Kubrakow stated that he wanted to resolve the network failure within the next few hours.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian internet bank Monobank said it was also the target of a hacker attack. The second largest mobile phone provider Vodafone also reported technical problems. According to its own information, Kyivstar has a good 24 million subscribers. In November, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was added to the mobile phone company’s supervisory board.