Ukrainian hacktivists hacked into Russian state TV VGTRK to ‘celebrate’ President Vladimir Putin's birthday

In an unexpected twist, pro-Ukrainian hacktivists decided to mark President Vladimir Putin’s birthday with an audacious cyberattack.

The hackers targeted Russia’s state broadcaster, VGTRK, taking it offline in a move that some reports are calling ‘unprecedented.’ This disruptive act appears to have been a way to send a strong message on a day meant for celebration.

Though VGTRK downplayed the incident by stating that no significant damage was done, the disruption caused by the attack was far from minor. The broadcaster’s servers remained down for a considerable amount of time, and rumours swirled that some servers and backups may have been wiped entirely.

In addition to VGTRK, Russia’s court systems were allegedly impacted, with some documents and decisions disappearing.

A digital birthday surprise

While the exact identity of the hackers has yet to be confirmed, a pro-Ukrainian hacking group known as Sudo rm-RF appeared to claim responsibility for the attack. They cheekily sent out a ‘happy birthday’ message to Putin, along with screenshots of compromised systems.

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The Russian government has been quick to point fingers, with officials suggesting that the attack is part of a broader effort by the West to undermine Russia’s media.

This cyber incident adds another layer to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which has spilt over into the digital realm. Ukraine has been hit hard by Russian cyberattacks, which surged by 123 per cent in the first half of 2023.

Despite this, Ukrainian-backed hackers have also managed to strike back, proving that the cyber battlefield is just as active as the one on the ground.

Cyberwarfare’s growing role

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Russia has long used cyber warfare as part of its strategy to weaken Ukraine. Critical infrastructure has been a primary target, with significant disruptions reported since the start of the conflict. Ukraine’s largest mobile network was knocked offline by Russian hackers in 2023, leaving millions without access.

In retaliation, Ukrainian hackers launched attacks on Russian telecommunications, including Moscow’s M9 telecoms. It’s clear that in this ongoing conflict, cyber operations have become a vital front.