Ukrainian intelligence cyberattack paralyses Russian banking and payment systems

Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) launched a large-scale cyberattack on 23 July, targeting the work of key banking institutions and payment systems throughout Russia.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources in DIU

Details: Clients of major banks such as Sberbank, Alfa-Bank, Raiffeisen Bank and VTB have faced problems or are unable to use online banking and digital services.

In addition, the operation of Russia's national payment systems, the Faster Payments System (SBP) and the National Payment Card System (NSPK), was blocked or significantly disrupted.

The cyberattack also affected mobile operators, leading to interruptions in mobile communications and the Internet: Beeline, Megafon, Tele2 and Rostelecom were affected.

Russian authorities acknowledged the cyberattack, calling it the work of "politically motivated hackers". Ukrainian intelligence notes that the attack is still ongoing and is far from over.

DIU representatives commented on the situation with humour, noting that in this way they were helping Russia to "return to its roots" and abandon "hostile liberal values" such as online services and the Internet. They jokingly suggested that Russians should switch to abacuses, paper ledgers and cave paintings for their accounts.

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