UK says Russian intel unit behind cyber operations supporting Ukraine invasion

On September 5, the UK National Cyber Security Centre publicly assessed that the Russian Military Intelligence (GRU) Unit 29155 have been responsible for a series of offensive cyber operations targeting victims globally since at least 2020.

“At least some of the group's cyber operations have almost certainly been aimed at supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Caliber.Az reports, citing the UK Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.

“Operations have included the 'WhisperGate' destructive wiper malware, which was used against Ukrainian targets in 2022. Other activity has included website defacements and network scanning for espionage purposes. WhisperGate was previously attributed to the Russian state; this new advisory specifically links the attack to GRU Unit 29155,” the intel data says.

“Unit 29155 is assessed to be responsible for attempted coups, sabotage and influence operations, and assassination attempts throughout Europe. Offensive cyber operations therefore mark a development in the capabilities of Unit 29155. This further highlights the value the Russian state places on cyberspace in the context of their invasion of Ukraine,” the report adds.