Cyberattack disrupts Ukraine rail ticketing; officials suspect Russian involvement

Reuters

A severe cyberattack disabled Ukraine’s online railway ticketing system on Monday, causing extensive queues and disruptions, with Kyiv officials attributing the incident to a possible Russian attempt to destabilise the nation.

The railway network, essential for passenger travel and freight logistics since air travel halted after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, reported significant delays at Kyiv’s central station as the online system remained offline over 24 hours after the hack.

Rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia called the cyberattack "systemic, unusual, and multi-level," indicating complexity beyond typical disruptions.

Ukrainian authorities, speaking anonymously, suggested Russia’s involvement, viewing the attack as psychological warfare designed to create societal instability.

Despite the ticketing issues, actual rail operations were unaffected, quickly switching to backup systems to maintain services. Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, board chairman of Ukrzaliznytsia, confirmed that no trains stopped, highlighting rapid mitigation measures.

Rail travel remains crucial in Ukraine, moving 20 million passengers and 148 million tonnes of freight in 2024, according to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba.

Moscow has not commented on the cyberattack allegations.

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