Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

AP/Press Association Images
Ukraine

Pro-Russian hackers claim attack on Angela Merkel's website

The move came as Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was visiting Berlin

HACKERS BLOCKED THE website of German Chancellor Angela Merkel today in an online attack claimed by a pro-Russian group opposed to the Ukrainian government.

Merkel’s official website and those of the government and the Bundestag lower house of parliament were temporarily inaccessible after what spokesman Steffen Seibert called a “serious attack”.

He said the attacks began around 9am GMT, when the overloaded sites crashed.

“The data centre of our service provider is under serious attack, apparently caused by diverse external systems,” Seibert said, adding he had no further details.

The German foreign ministry website was also temporarily hit, a spokesman confirmed.

Hackers calling themselves CyberBerkut said in a statement they were behind the blocking of the chancellor’s and Bundestag websites.

The move came as Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk was visiting Berlin, where he is due to meet German President Joachim Gauck today and Merkel tomorrow.

The hackers said they appealed to Germany “to stop financial and political support of (the) criminal regime in Kiev, which unleashed a bloody civil war”.

The group said Yatsenyuk hoped to gain financial help from the EU and IMF “to extend the war and not to restore (the) collapsed infrastructure of our country”.

Ukraine just took a big step towards the West… and Russia’s not happy

Opinion: Sony has capitulated to terrorist demands – it will have a chilling effect on freedom of speech

Your Voice
Readers Comments
46
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.