Ukrainian government servers were hit by a "massive cyberattack" overnight that saw government websites taken down, including the homepage for the Foreign Ministry, which temporarily displayed a message warning Ukraine's people to "be afraid and expect the worst."
Just hours before the latest digital sabotage, Ukraine's ambassador in Washington told CBS News that her country believed a cyberattack would precede any major military action by Vladimir Putin's forces.
There was no claim of responsibility for the cyberattack, but Ukraine has blamed groups with links to the Russian government for similar previous sabotage.
"As a result of a massive cyberattack, the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of other government agencies are temporarily down," the Foreign Ministry said overnight. Earlier, the ministry's website displayed a message in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish saying: "Ukrainians! All your personal data... have been deleted and are impossible to restore. All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect the worst."
Ukrainian and U.S. officials told CBS News on Thursday that a potential military assault against Ukraine would not necessarily begin with Russian tanks rolling across the frozen border in the coming weeks. Alternate methods of attack, including airstrikes as well as a staged provocation that could originate from neighboring Belarus or other Russia-friendly territory in the region, were among the possibilities expected — along with a preceding cyberattack.
Putin's preference for hybrid warfare is also particularly weighing on the minds of Ukrainian officials.
"If Russia decides on a full invasion, then we know that we should expect increased cyberattacks before that," Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova told CBS News on Thursday.
H Turner
Early Friday morning, 14 January 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held his annual lengthy Press Conference. In it, he told gathered media “Russia's patience with the actions of the West has come to an end, we have been harnessing for a long time - now is the time to go.”
He went on to say “While we are waiting for a response [in writing] from NATO on security guarantees, [which he later said they expect by WEDNESDAY] Russia is now preparing for _any_ development of events.”
Ominously, Lavrov made explicitly clear “If our proposals for security guarantees are rejected by NATO, we will assess the situation and start acting in the interests of our country’s safety. Russia knows how to ensure its security, and will not endlessly wait for some changes and promises from the West.”
While Lavrov spoke, Russia's Pacific Fleet's 155th Naval Infantry Brigade is crossing the entire breadth of Russia to deploy near Ukraine/Belarus. This is taking place along with several regiments from 4 armies of the Russian Far East.
This is a completely unprecedented troop movement by Russia; way beyond any exercise they have ever mounted. They are scraping the whole country for every deployable combat unit.
The Russian Foreign Minister was then asked specifically if this means war against Ukraine. His answer was surprising: "No, it means creating counter-threats for the West and the appearance of Russian bases or missiles near the US borders, painful counter-sanctions for the West and the like. Russia does not need a war in Ukraine. There are too many kinship ties between Ukrainians and Russians."
Elsewhere in the world, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said in an Interview with Repubblica News "NATO has made a decision to admit Ukraine and Georgia into the alliance, but did not set a deadline yet."
He further clarified the decision was made in the year 2008 but no deadline had been set.
Also this morning, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs candidly pointed out "US and NATO face a choice: Either security indivisibility, or a confrontation that could have IRREVERSIBLE consequences."
Computer Hackers have successfully broken into NATO Intelligence computers and stolen armament data. The leak was most likely from the Logistics Planning Headquarters at the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate in Bydgoszcz.
Information found on the web includes armament of the Polish army, ammunition, spare parts for combat machines and specialized software.
The equipment disclosed also includes the gear purchased by the Polish army in the USA, Germany, and Israel.
These are strategic data that, for example, Russia’s intelligence is seeking, says General Piotr Pytel, former head of the Military Counterintelligence Service. In his opinion, such information is worth a lot of money.
UKRAINE Military & Gov't Sites Hacked
Also this morning, several Ukrainian government websites down due to a major a cyberattack. Below is the Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairswebsite now.
It reads in part: "Ukrainians!...All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect worse." Sites of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and its Education ministry are also down.
Ukraine hit by huge cyber attack
RT
Several websites run by Ukrainian government agencies fell victim to a serious cyberattack on Thursday night, leaving many inaccessible on Friday. The hackers left a warning for Ukrainians, telling them to “expect the worst.”
Writing on Twitter, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Oleg Nikolenko described the hacking as a “massive cyberattack.”
“Our specialists have already started restoring the work of IT systems, and the cyber-police have opened an investigation,” he wrote.
Aside from the Foreign Ministry site, the hackers also went after the website for the Cabinet, as well as the Education, Agriculture, Energy, and Sports Ministries. The Diia portal, which provides Ukrainians with access to some 50 government services, was also made unavailable.
After hacking into the websites, the attackers placed a message on the home page in three languages: Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish.
While no blame has yet been accorded, Nikolenko noted that there had been a “long record of Russian cyber-assaults against Ukraine in the past,” apparently suggesting Moscow could be behind the latest attack.
The hack comes as tensions remain high between Ukraine and Russia. Concerns over potential conflict have risen in recent months, with Moscow being accused of having placed around 100,000 troops on its western border.
Ukraine hit by ‘massive’ cyber-attack on government websites
Ukrainian government websites down after 'massive' cyberattack
Massive cyberattack hits Ukrainian government websites as West warns on Russia conflict
Ukraine Hit By ‘Massive Cyber Attack’ As Russia Mobilizes Troops Near Border
No comments:
Post a Comment