Kyiv Independent reports system breach after readers receive fake nuclear attack warning
The Kyiv Independent, a Ukrainian English-language news outlet, said one of its systems had been hacked after subscribers received an unauthorized email falsely claiming that a nuclear warhead had been launched toward Kyiv.
The Russian-language message also claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had joined forces.
In a message to readers on November 4, Kyiv Independent Editor-in-Chief Olga Rudenko confirmed that the email had not been sent by the newsroom.
"One of our systems was breached, and everything we know so far, including the content of the email, points to a Russian operation," Rudenko said.
According to the editor-in-chief, the attackers also attempted to publish similar messages on the outlet's website, but they were promptly removed.
The Kyiv Independent said it was working to resolve the breach and strengthen its security measures.
Rudenko drew parallels with a cyberattack two days earlier against a Ukrainian air raid alert application, which displayed a similarly alarming false message about an incoming Russian missile.
"Such attacks are part of the war we report on every day. Their goal is to sow confusion and undermine trust," Rudenko wrote.
She apologized to readers and thanked them for continuing to support the outlet.
There is no evidence supporting the claims made in the fraudulent email.
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