Russian government website hit by cyberattack amid war on Ukraine

By Emre Gurkan Abay

MOSCOW (AA) – The official website of Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations was hit by a cyberattack amid the country’s war with Ukraine, according to a report late Wednesday by Russian state-owned news agency TASS.

The hotline number on the main page of the site was changed to a Ukrainian one, said the report.

Maintenance is underway on the website, while the hotline number has been replaced with Russian-based phone numbers.

The websites of all regional and central departments of the ministry have also become inoperable, according to TASS.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which started on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to financial restrictions on Moscow and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.

At least 726 civilians have been killed and 1,174 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to the UN, while noting that conditions on the ground make it difficult to verify the true number.

More than 3 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, said the UN refugee agency.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz