Ukraine’s cyber spy chief told the news agency Reuters that Russian hackers entered and were inside Ukrainian telecoms giant Kyivstar’s system from at least May last year in a cyberattack.
Illia Vitiuk, who is head of the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) cybersecurity department, said that the incident should serve as a “big warning” to the West.
In an interview, which was published on Thursday (Jan 4), Vitiuk disclosed exclusive details about the hack, which he said caused “disastrous” destruction and aimed to land a psychological blow and gather intelligence.
“This attack is a big message, a big warning, not only to Ukraine but for the whole Western world to understand that no one is actually untouchable,” he said.
Vitiuk highlighted that Kyivstar was a wealthy and private company that invested a lot in cybersecurity.
The spy chief said that more than 24.3 million Kyivstar subscribers lost phone reception as a result of the attack, with banks reporting service outages and Ukrainians in the country’s eastern combat zone left without a connection.
Sandworm, a Russian military intelligence cyberwarfare unit linked to cyberattacks in Ukraine and elsewhere, was behind the attack, according to Vitiuk.
“For now, we can say securely, that they were in the system at least since May 2023. I cannot say right now, since what time they had … full access: probably at least since November,” Vitiuk said.
Russia-Ukraine war
Meanwhile, in the recent development in the ongoing war against Ukraine, the Russian region of Belgorod bordering Ukraine said Thursday (Jan 4) it would keep some schools closed until January 19, following unprecedented Ukrainian shelling over the weekend.
Twenty-five people were killed in a Ukrainian strike on the regional capital Belgorod Saturday, Moscow said. The attack was the deadliest in Russia since the conflict began in February 2022.
“I report the decisions that have been made: to extend the school holidays from January 9 to 19” in several districts including Belgorod city, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
“In technical colleges and universities located in these municipalities, it is recommended to hold class remotely,” he said, adding that the holidays may be extended further.
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos
(With inputs from agencies)
