Russia has launched a major cyberattack on Ukraine’s state registries, causing significant disruptions to vital services, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna announced late on Thursday. The registries, which hold critical data on Ukrainian citizens, including birth, death, marriage records, and property ownership, were temporarily suspended as a result of the attack.
Impact and Response
Stefanishyna described the cyberattack as the largest external attack on Ukraine’s infrastructure in recent times. She confirmed that the cyberstrike targeted the Ministry of Justice’s unified and state registries, leading to their temporary suspension.
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the attack was clearly aimed at disrupting Ukraine’s crucial infrastructure. She added that it would take approximately two weeks to fully restore operations, although some services would begin resuming on Friday. Initial assessments indicated that other state services remained unaffected by the attack.
Future Protection Measures
Once restoration efforts are complete, Stefanishyna noted that a thorough investigation of the cyberattack would be conducted. The goal of this analysis will be to enhance Ukraine’s defenses against similar attacks in the future.
Ongoing Cyber Conflict
This attack comes amid a long-standing cyber conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with both countries’ institutions facing significant cyber threats. Notable incidents include a mass attack on Ukrainian mobile provider Kyivstar in December 2023, as well as a series of cyberattacks on Russian ministries in June 2023.