Ukrainian cyber attack paralyzes Russian nuclear weapons developer
In a significant blow to Russia's defense infrastructure, Ukrainian hackers have paralyzed operations at a leading nuclear weapons developer. Ukrainian cyber specialists targeted an internet service provider supporting the Russian arms manufacturer.
Collaborating with hacker group "VO Team," Ukrainian intelligence operatives disrupted the enterprise responsible for Russia's nuclear armament. According to an announcement on Telegram, the team launched a successful cyberattack on "Vega," the primary provider in Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk region. The attack disabled 1,173 switches and erased all data from 10 servers.
Internet and communication services have been down for almost a week, impacting several strategic facilities in Snezhinsk, including the All-Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics (VNIITF), a key player in nuclear arms development.
The attack yielded sensitive employee data and a trove of documents from the sanctioned plant. This information sheds light on how Russia circumvents international sanctions and identifies individuals involved in these violations.
Authorities indicate that the cyber operation jeopardized Russian national defense contracts significantly.
In a prior offensive, Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate experts targeted Russia's banking system in July. Major banks saw a disruption in digital services, communications, and mobile internet. Following this, cyber experts attacked the Central Bank of Russia, further compromising Russian financial stability.