The Kyiv Independent said it came under a cyberattack on 4 November 2026 that disrupted its website and led to some readers receiving emails containing fake claims in Russian and English.

The outlet says the hackers gained access to its website content management system and to one of the services it uses to send newsletters, sent four emails and posted similar messages on the website, which staff deleted immediately.

It says the first email, sent at 1 a.m. Kyiv time on 4 November, falsely claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky had launched a nuclear warhead at Kyiv and warned recipients in Russian to take shelter, and that later emails contained fake claims about a physical attack on Zelensky.

The Kyiv Independent says the content of the fake claims points to a Russian operation; The Record notes the outlet did not provide technical evidence linking the breach to Moscow.

The outlet says members' and donors' bank details are not at risk because payments are handled by third-party payment systems, and its chief operating officer says staff are working with cybersecurity specialists to identify vulnerabilities. (sources: The Kyiv Independent; The Record)