Fear Of Being Cut Off From Friends And Family Arose After Network Connectivity In Ukraine Was Disrupted

NetBlocks reports internet connectivity in Ukraine is disrupted. (photo: twitter @netblocks)

JAKARTA - Internet network connectivity in Ukraine has been severely affected by the Russian invasion, Thursday 24 February. According to internet blocking observatory NetBlocks, Saturday, February 26, the disturbances occurred in the south and east of the country, where the fighting was fiercest.

Russian troops are reported to have captured the city of Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine on Saturday, February 26 as reported by the Russian news agency, Interfax. This takeover came shortly after Moscow launched a coordinated cruise missile and artillery attack on several cities, including the capital Kyiv.

️ Confirmed: Real-time network data show a major disruption to #Ukraine's internet backbone provider GigaTrans, which supplies connectivity to many other networks. The incident comes as heavy fighting is reported in #Vasylkiv and #Kyiv Background: https://t.co/S0qJQ7CbNv pic.twitter.com/EksnZjs9Ay

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 26, 2022

According to NetBlocks, connectivity to GigaTrans, the main internet provider in Ukraine, fell to below 20% of normal levels. However it was finally able to return to higher levels in the early hours of Friday morning 25 February.

"We are currently observing national connectivity at 87% of the usual level, a figure reflecting the disruption of services and population flights and the closure of homes and businesses since the morning of the 24th," said Alp Toker, director of NetBlocks, told Reuters.

"There were no nationwide blackouts, and little was heard from the worst-affected areas. But for others there was an ever-present fear that connectivity could deteriorate at any moment, cutting off friends and family," Toker said.

"The disruption to Ukraine's telecommunications network could affect civil defense groups that have moved to defend their city," he added.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials released more information about an alleged Belarusian cyber-espionage operation which they said targeted private email accounts belonging to Kiev troops.

In a Facebook post, the Ukraine Computer Emergency Response Team said the hackers targeted not only Ukrainians but also Poles, Russians and Belarusians, including several Belarusian media organizations.