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A 22-year-old Russian national, Amin Stigal, has been charged with conspiracy to hack into and destroy computer systems, the US Department of Justice said Wednesday.
"As alleged, the defendant conspired with Russian military intelligence on the eve of Russia’s unjust and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine to launch cyberattacks targeting the Ukrainian government and later targeting its allies, including the United States," said US Attorney General Merrick Garland, adding: "The Justice Department will continue to stand with Ukraine on every front in its fight against Russia’s war of aggression, including by holding accountable those who support Russia’s malicious cyber activity."
In January 2022, Stigal also allegedly attacked and infected computers belonging to a dozen non-military Ukrainian government agencies using malware the US describes as a "cyberweapon." This malware, dubbed "WhisperGate," was reportedly developed to destroy a computer from the inside, including its data. Ukraine's treasury, judiciary administration, education ministry, agriculture ministry, accounting chamber, and state emergency service were targeted, among other agencies.
Stigal is believed to have worked with other attackers as well as Russia's military intelligence. These unidentified individuals compromised Ukrainians' data, like health records, and subsequently offered it for sale online, according to the report.
The hackers used the same strategy to attack a US federal agency based in Maryland between August 2021 and February 2022, the DOJ notes, without specifying which agency was impacted. The FBI is investigating these incidents, and Stigal remains at large.
In recent months, Russians have also been blamed for hacking Microsoft and a Texas water facility, to name a few.
Russia has repeatedly threatened Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, which Ukraine has been using for its own communications. Russia bought its own dishes through unauthorized backchannels and then used Starlink for months before the Pentagon and Ukraine ultimately shut them down. Russia has since developed a weapon to fight Starlink and has managed to disrupt Ukraine's Starlink connectivity as Russia's attacks on Ukraine continue.