Ukrzaliznytsia, the state-owned railway operator in Ukraine, had a major day on Tuesday after a large-scale cyberattack knocked out most of its online service, including ticket sales. On Monday, Ukrzaliznytsia provided a significant infrastructure update on its official Telegram channel. They immediately shared how a cyberattack took their ticket sales down on both their website and mobile app. Even in the face of this disruption, train operations carried on without interruption, preserving the continuity—and thus, stability—of Ukraine’s rail network.
The cyberattack on the flag-bearing railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia alarmed the world, wreaking havoc on one of Ukraine’s most crucial public services. The state-owned railway operator is responsible for the entire country’s train traffic, but it struggled with quality on its digital customer interfaces. Consequently, riders were unable to easily buy tickets through the website and mobile app. The announcement on Telegram highlighted the fact that ticketing services were interrupted. Despite the chaos, train operations never missed a beat.
“The enemy failed to do the key thing: train traffic is stable, they run clearly, without delays, and all operational processes of traffic are set up in a backup format.”
As travelers rushed to train stations in droves to solidify their travel itineraries, many found themselves faced with record-breaking capacity. Others were left standing in hours-long queues to purchase tickets to travel within the country and abroad. The incident highlighted both the growing reliance on digital technologies and the debilitating effects that such cyberattacks may threaten to transport services.
“unusually crowded on Monday morning, with dozens of people waiting in long lines to buy tickets for travel within Ukraine and abroad.”
Ukrzaliznytsia took proactive steps to manage the situation, advising passengers on alternatives should they be unable to purchase tickets through traditional means. The railway operator reassured travelers that train services would remain operational despite the digital setbacks.
“As a last resort, if you do not have time to purchase a ticket through the ticket office, go directly to the train,”
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