Russia blasts a southern Ukraine region and hackers strike Ukrainian phone and internet services

By ILLIA NOVIKOV
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has came under heavy attacks from the air and from cyberspace. Local officials said Tuesday that nearly 600 Russian shells, rockets and other projectiles rained down on the southern Kherson region. Meanwhile, unidentified hackers knocked out the phone and internet services of the country’s biggest telecom provider. The number of projectiles fired at Kherson was the highest number for at least the past two weeks, though local authorities have said between 200-500 are commonly launched against the region every day. Meanwhile, Ukrainian telecom provider Kyivstar said it came under a “powerful” attack by hackers. The company serves more than 24 million mobile customers across the country.