After a week of fruitless negotiations between Russia, the United States and Europe, the tension is far from decreasing as Ukraine suffered a large-scale cyberattack on Friday January 15, which paralyzed several dozens of government websites. The attack has not been claimed, but due to numerous precedents, all eyes are on Russia, especially as the Kremlin continues to get tough.
With our correspondent in Kiev, Stephane Siohan
According to Ukraine’s Special Communications Service, the body in charge of cyber protection, Friday’s attack is the most massive the country has seen in four years. It hit more than 70 sites, ministries, public services and regional institutions, but the damage seems at first sight limited.
According to the internet policeman in Ukraine, the number of attacks by hackers interposed has increased by nearly 12% over the past three months, in sync with military pressure from Russia.
Spreading a sense of insecurity in Ukraine
For Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security Council, there is no doubt the attack is 99.9% signed by Russia, he said. He sees in it the possible prelude to a conventional attack, the date of which, he continues, only exists in the mind of Vladimir Putin.
What is certain is that this type of operation is intended to spread a veritable electronic fog, and a feeling of insecurity: thus Ukraine has also recorded for several hours a record number of bomb threats, alerts that have led to the temporary closure of metro stations, schools or shopping centres.
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