WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2022) microsoft said on Wednesday that Russian state cyber actors are allegedly conducting computer intrusions in parallel with Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine.
"Throughout this conflict, we have observed Russian nation state cyber actors conducting intrusions in concert with kinetic military action," the company said in a special report on Ukraine.
Microsoft claims that it has evidence of nearly 40 discreet cyberattacks between February 23 and April 8 that resulted in destruction of hundreds of systems across dozens of organizations in Ukraine.
Though the tech giant has not been able to assess their broader strategic impact, the company's experts believe that Russian cyber actors' actions have had an impact in terms of technical disruption of services and creating a chaotic information environment in Ukraine both before and after the beginning of the military operation in the country, according to the report.
Ukraine's state agencies and critical infrastructure sectors were top targets of alleged Russian cyberattacks which complemented Russia's kinetic military action on the ground, the report said.
Microsoft believes that at least six Russian cyber actors have been engaged in attacks and espionage operations against Ukraine, using an array of malware tools, including those capable of deleting data and causing physical effects in industrial production and processes, according to the report.
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help in defending themselves from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.
The Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement in cyberattacks.
