Ukraine Hacked Russian Banks, Leading Major Disruption

A large-scale cyberattack orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence led to disruptions in the Russian banking sector.

According to a source from Ukrainian intelligence, ATM services at several top Russian banks were rendered inoperative, leaving customers unable to withdraw cash. The attack began on July 23 and has been described as unprecedented in its scale and impact.

Widespread Financial Chaos

The cyber offensive, attributed to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (HUR), has caused widespread chaos across various financial services in Russia.

The hackers have successfully frozen bank payment systems and mobile applications, causing outages in personal banking offices.

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According to the KYIV Post report, payments for public transport have been barred, and mobile and internet services provided by Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2, and Rostelecom have been significantly interrupted. Popular online messengers and the largest Russian social networks have also been targeted.

The list of affected banks includes major financial institutions such as VTB Bank, Alfa-Bank, Sberbank, Raiffeisen Bank, RSHB Bank, Rosbank, Gazprombank, Tinkoff Bank, and iBank. Dom.RF was the latest addition to this growing list of compromised banks.

The cyberattack is seen as a strategic move against the Russian banking sector, which is heavily involved in financing the Russian Federation’s armed aggression.

The source from Ukrainian intelligence highlighted the significance of the attack, suggesting it could force Russia to revert to outdated methods of financial management, humorously referring to “wooden abacuses, paper savings books, and cave paintings for accounting.”As the attack gains momentum, the full extent of the disruption remains to be seen.

The Ukrainian cyber offensive marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, demonstrating the increasing role of cyber warfare in modern geopolitical struggles. The situation is being closely monitored, and further developments are expected in the coming days.

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