Ukrainian hackers cause over $800,000 in damage to Russian internet provider
Ukrainian intelligence hackers have inflicted significant damage on Orion Telecom, one of Siberia’s largest internet providers, causing losses of 66 million rubles (over $800,000), according to sources familiar with the incident.
The damage and personal data leaks were confirmed by Orion Telecom in a statement submitted to the Russian police, which the company has asked to open a criminal case. Under Russian law, the provider may also face fines of up to 15 million rubles for the data breach, News.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.
The attack, carried out by the cyber corps of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), took place during Russia Day over the summer, temporarily paralyzing Orion Telecom’s operations. A closed city specializing in uranium mining, which relies solely on Orion Telecom, was left without internet and communication services.
Residents in cities including Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Bratsk, and Abakan reported widespread disruptions in internet and television services that morning.
Sources indicate that Orion Telecom’s networks were actively used by Russian security forces in operations against Ukraine, making the provider a strategic target for HUR’s cyber activities.
This incident follows a series of recent cyberattacks by HUR against Russian infrastructure. In September, Ukrainian hackers targeted the Russian national payment system SPB and the provider TransTeleCom, as well as private ISPs linked to Russian security forces. HUR also carried out coordinated attacks on multiple Russian resources during Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Day.
The repeated cyber operations highlight Ukraine’s growing capability in digital warfare, particularly against assets supporting Russian military actions.
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