The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR) announced a successful cyberattack on a key server of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The targeted server, located in Moscow, was essential for specialized communication within the Russian defense units, GUR specified.
According to a statement released by Ukrainian intelligence on the evening of 30 January, this cyber operation halted the information exchange between the Russian Ministry of Defense units using the Moscow-based server.
“Specialists of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine conducted the operation in the enemy’s cyber domain. As a result of the cyberattack, the exchange of information between the Russian Ministry of Defense units, which used the said server, was stopped,” the report detailed.
The software on the attacked server, approved by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), was claimed to meet the state standards for information protection. This software was also installed on various strategic objects in the Russian state sector, especially military ones, the GUR added.
Earlier reports indicated that websites within the Russian domain zone “ru” had experienced widespread outages. The Coordination Center of Domains .ru/.рф, the administrator of national domains, acknowledged the issue.
The internet disruptions were not confined to a single region. Significant interruptions were reported in several major Russian cities, including St. Petersburg, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Tyumen, and Rostov-on-Don, in the Far East, as well as in Kaliningrad, Samara, Omsk, and Kazan. Major Russian websites like Yandex and VK, along with various media outlets, also faced operational issues.
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