Ukraine’s Main Directorate of intelligence (HUR) has launched a large-scale denial-of-service (DDoS) attack against Russia’s Central Bank, severely disrupting its operations, according to a security source cited by Liga. The attack, part of a broader cyber offensive, has been ongoing for nearly a week and is the most extensive against Russian internet infrastructure to date.
The Central Bank of Russia, crucial in financing Russia’s military actions against Ukraine, has reportedly experienced significant operational disruptions. The attack has also impacted other major financial institutions like Zenit Bank and Gazprombank, whose online services are currently inaccessible to users, according to the source.
Additionally, the attack has reportedly caused widespread internet connectivity issues, with major Russian telecom providers like MTS experiencing sustained disruptions, affecting users’ access to services for the third day.
- On the morning of 23 July, a massive cyberattack initiated by Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence targeted the Russian banking system, as per the Liga source.
- By 24 July, the HUR reportedly successfully “hacked” the Russian banking system, leading to significant disruptions at major banks including Sberbank, Raiffeisen, VTB, and Alfa Bank.
- It was reported on 27 July that following the HUR attack, several Russian banks ceased functioning, preventing residents from withdrawing cash from ATMs. Ukrainian intelligence also gained access to the databases of these Russian financial institutions.
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