Ukraine's Kyivstar restores services after cyberattack, parent Veon says (updated)

VEON

19/12/2023 17:28

(Adds detail from statement, Veon quote, context)
       Dec 19 (Reuters) - Telecoms company Veon  VON.AS  said
on Tuesday that its unit Kyivstar, Ukraine's biggest mobile
operator, has restored all types of communications services it
provides, after they were disrupted by a mass cyberattack last
week. 
    Kyivstar had said on Friday it had restored mobile internet
and international roaming throughout Ukraine, while on Tuesday,
its parent Veon added that other services, including fixed
connectivity, mobile voice, and SMS, were now also running. 
    The attack on Dec. 12 appeared to be the largest cyberattack
since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
It had knocked out services, damaged IT infrastructure and put
millions of people in danger of not receiving alerts of
potential Russian air assaults.
    "As of today, 99% of Kyivstar's base stations in territory
controlled by Ukrainian government are operational," Veon said
in a statement. 
    On Wednesday, a group called Solntsepyok, believed by
Ukraine's security service SBU to be affiliated with Russian
military intelligence, said in a post on the Telegram messenger
app that it carried out the attack.

 (Reporting by Olivier Sorgho; editing by Christina Fincher and
David Evans)
 ((Olivier.Sorgho@thomsonreuters.com;))