Russian government hackers have carried out 37 destructive cyber attacks against Ukraine, according to Microsoft.
The major attacks were carried out between 23 February – the day before Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine – and 8 April, the tech giant said in its report today.
In the 37 attacks, the hackers had destroyed files of dozens of Ukrainian organisations. More than 40 per cent of those attacks were aimed at organisations that provide critical infrastructure.
While Russia's invasion has been viewed as poorly planned and executed, Microsoft researchers describe the cyber campaign as having often coincided with Putin’s military plans. For example, the tech company’s timeline shows that on 1 March – the same day a Russian missile was fired at Kyiv’s TV tower – media companies in the Ukrainian capital were targeted by destructive hacks and cyberespionage.
A total of 237 cyber attacks were carried out by Kremlin-affiliated hackers that had been positioning themselves to target Ukraine as early as March 2021, Microsoft also said.
