Cyber specialists from 11 countries have uncovered a large-scale operation by Russian military intelligence aimed at destabilizing logistics chains supplying military aid to Ukraine
This is an extremely important step in the fight against cyberattacks and disinformation warfare conducted against our state by Russia over the past several years. According to information released by the UK National Cyber Security Centre, a joint intelligence agency from 11 countries—including the most influential ones such as the USA, Canada, Poland, Germany, Estonia, and other NATO countries—discovered and disrupted a coordinated criminal scheme used by Russian special services since 2022. They carried out targeted cyberattacks against organizations responsible for transportation, logistics, and delivery of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as well as against defense sectors, IT companies, maritime and aviation structures, and air traffic management systems in several countries. Based on disclosed data, some targets of Russian intelligence included internal networks of logistics structures, access to which hackers gained through vulnerabilities in security systems, notably through compromised surveillance cameras at Ukraine’s border crossings and near military facilities. This allowed Russian cybercriminals to obtain strategic access to crucial information that could be used for cyberattacks or sabotage. The exact scope and high consequences of this operation remain unknown, as details regarding the extent of breaches and potential impacts have not yet been publicly disclosed. At the same time, it is known that since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the world has repeatedly faced high-precision cyberattacks against the EU and NATO institutions, which actively support Ukraine in countering Russia. Only in 2024 have significant cyber incidents been recorded in countries such as Germany and the Czech Republic caused by Russian hackers. Additionally, in the USA, charges have been announced against six Russian citizens suspected of large-scale cyberattacks against Ukraine and NATO allies in the lead-up to the full-scale invasion in 2022. These actions confirm the systematic and targeted activities of Russian intelligence in cyberspace, aimed at paralyzing logistics chains, creating additional difficulties for the Ukrainian military and volunteers, and undermining the confidence in security systems of countries aiding Ukraine during this challenging time. Overall, this news once again highlights the importance of strengthening international cooperation in cybersecurity and the need for continuous improvement of countermeasures against cybercrime to protect not only military objects but also the critical infrastructure of all countries operating in the complex conditions of modern hybrid warfare. Russian aggression in cyberspace remains active and continues to pose challenges to all democratic states, increasing demands on their cyber defenses and ongoing situation monitoring.