Ukraine's Kyivstar allocated $90 million to deal with cyberattack aftermath (updated)

VEON

20/05/2024 14:12

(Adds details, context starting paragraph 2)
       May 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine's leading mobile operator
Kyivstar has allocated $90 million to deal with a suspect
Russian cyberattack on its services and said it had hit its
growth.
    The hack, described by its CEO as the biggest cyberattack on
telecoms infrastructure in the world, struck Kyivstar in
December, damaging infrastructure and disrupting mobile phone
signals for millions of Ukrainians.  
    "Before the cyberattack, we were moving with an increase of
11%-12% quarter-on-quarter in 2023. The cyberattack ate up about
3% of annual growth," CEO Oleksandr Komarov told the
Interfax-Ukraine news agency. 
    He gave no additional detail about what aspect of growth
that referred to. Kyivstar did not immediately reply to a
request for comment. 
    Komarov said the mobile operator allocated 3.6 billion
hryvnia ($90.76 million) to deal with the aftermath of the
attack. 
    It went towards repairing damage as well as on strengthening
the system and funding a loyalty program for clients. 
    Kyivstar, owned by Amsterdam-listed mobile telecoms operator
Veon  VON.AS , has 24.3 million mobile subscribers, as well as
more than 1.1 million home internet subscribers. 
    Kyiv's then-cyber spy chief said at the time he was
confident the attack was carried out by Sandworm, a Russian
military intelligence cyberwarfare unit.
    Solntsepyok, a group believed by Ukraine to be affiliated
with Sandworm, claimed responsibility. Russia has not commented
on the attack.
    

 (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa;
Editing by Alison Williams)
 ((Yuliia.Dysa@thomsonreuters.com;))