Kyiv Independent hit by suspected Russian cyberattack - The Kyiv Independent
The Kyiv Independent came under a cyberattack on Nov. 4, resulting in website disruption and readers receiving emails containing fake claims in Russian and English.
The hackers gained access to the Kyiv Independent's content management system and one of its newsletter services, posting fake messages on the website and sending them via email. The content of the fake claims points to a Russian operation, similar to a hack of Ukraine's government air raid alert app just three days earlier.
This is the first time an attack like this has happened to us, and we are treating it very seriously.
False Claims Sent
The hackers sent four emails containing fake claims about Presidents Zelensky and Putin. The first email, sent at 1 a.m. Kyiv time on Nov. 4, falsely claimed that "Zelensky launched a nuclear warhead at Kyiv" as "proof of friendship" after meeting with Putin. A second Russian-language email followed at 2:30 p.m., with similar English versions sent at 3:05 p.m.
The emails contained warnings in Russian to take shelter and referenced an anonymous Telegram channel with mocking messages and threats. Only a small minority of the Kyiv Independent's audience lives in Ukraine, with most readers based in English-speaking countries and Europe.
Attacks like these are part of the war we cover every day — an attempt to sow confusion and erode trust.
Government App Hack
The attack against the Kyiv Independent comes days after Ukraine's air raid alert app was hacked. Several fake alerts were sent to users' phones, warning of nuclear, chemical, and street fighting threats. One false warning read in Russian: "Hi! A nuclear alert is about to go off all across Ukraine! Don't worry, the Oreshnik (missile) is on its way."
President Zelensky confirmed the hack was a Russian attack in an interview with PBS News on Nov. 2, stating: "It was a cyberattack, one of the hundreds and thousands of those made by Russians before on banking systems, on pensions, social support, a lot of different support for civilians." He added that Russia wants "each day to make chaos in Ukraine, in all our cities. It's one of such steps by Russia."
Response and Protection
The Kyiv Independent's team has been working with cybersecurity specialists to stop the attack and identify vulnerabilities. The bank details of the Kyiv Independent's members and donors are not at risk, as all payment and banking information is handled by secure third-party payment systems.
"We are grateful for all the support and messages offering help that we received from our readers, members, and partners from different countries. This attack won't stop us from doing our work," said Zakhar Protsiuk, the Kyiv Independent's chief operating officer. The fake messages on the website were deleted immediately by staff.
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