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☆ Russian hackers are targeting cameras at Ukrainian coffee shops to spy on convoys of Western military aid, top NSA official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian hackers are using "creative" ways to tap into cameras in Ukraine, according to a US official. US defense manufacturers are also under "daily pressure" from Russian hackers, said NSA's Rob Joyce. "We're watching the Russian hackers log into public-facing webcams to watch convoys and trains delivering aid," the NSA official said. He added that while hackers are logging into closed-circuit cameras in public, they are also hacking into cameras on private properties. On both sides of the conflict in Ukraine, hacking efforts and electronic warfare are significant, although Russian hacking has been an increasing concern for the US military, Insider previously reported.

CNN —A fresh leak of classified US intelligence documents suggests broad infighting between Russian officials, including some within the Federal Security Service (FSB) and Defense Ministry, the New York Times reported Thursday. The NYT report says the documents detail US monitoring of Russian intelligence and apparatus and military command. The Kremlin said it doubts the “reliability” of reports of broad infighting between Russian officials, in response to a CNN question about the NYT article. A litany of highly classified documents leaked online related to the Pentagon, pictured in Arlington, Virginia on April 6, 2023, has rattled US officials. The Pentagon has also stood up an “interagency effort” to assess the impact of the leak, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said Sunday, while the Department of Justice opened an investigation into the leaks last week.

☆ A former Russian military intelligence officer has defected to Ukraine and is setting up his own battalion of dissidents
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former Russian intelligence officer has defected and says he's setting up a pro-Ukrainian unit. Ethnic minorities in Russia are treated like second-class citizens, he said, according to Ukrainian outlet Focus. Ammosov served in the GRU — the military intelligence wing of Russia's army — for 15 years before moving to Europe, Radio Free Europe reported. None have had a formal explanation, which has led to speculation that they were targeted by Ukrainian commandos or Russian dissidents. According to Focus, Ammosov's unit is the fourth such dissident unit to be formed.

☆ How the Latest Leaked Documents Are Different From Past Breaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

It is the freshness of the “secret” and “top secret” documents, and the hints they hold for operations to come, that make these disclosures particularly damaging, administration officials say. The 100-plus pages of slides and briefing documents leave no doubt about how deeply enmeshed the United States is in the day-to-day conduct of the war, providing the precise intelligence and logistics that help explain Ukraine’s success thus far. It is coordinating the long, complex logistical train that delivers weapons to the Ukrainians. In fact, the documents released so far are a brief snapshot of how the United States viewed the war in Ukraine. They are a combination of the current order of battle and — perhaps most valuable to Russian military planners — American projections of where the air defenses being rushed into Ukraine could be located next month.

WASHINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) - Russia or pro-Russian elements are likely behind the leak of several classified U.S. military documents posted on social media that offer a partial, month-old snapshot of the war in Ukraine, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday. "We are aware of the reports of social media posts and the Department (of Defense) is reviewing the matter," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. One document posted on social media said 16,000 to 17,500 Russian forces had been killed since Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. The United States believes that actual figure is much higher, at around 200,000 Russians killed and wounded, officials say. Still, the document leak came as speculation mounts about what offensives Kyiv and Moscow might attempt in the war's second year.

☆ Ukraine discusses preventing military leaks after report of breach
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Ukrainian servicemen prepare to fire a mortar, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, near the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine April 6, 2023. REUTERS/Oleksandr KlymenkoKYIV, April 7 (Reuters) - Ukraine's president and top security brass discussed ways to prevent leaks of military information at a meeting on Friday, Kyiv said, after secret documents detailing Western help for Ukraine reportedly ended up online. It also did not refer to a New York Times report that said documents about U.S. and NATO plans to build up the Ukrainian military had been leaked online. A spokesperson for Ukrainian military intelligence said it was possible the information in the posts was entirely fictitious, and that there had been no leak. One part offered an estimate for Ukrainian military losses that was far higher than Western estimates made available so far.

☆ Ukraine says data leak is Russian effort to sow doubt about counter-offensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, April 7 (Reuters) - A leak of classified documents detailing secret U.S. and NATO plans to help Kyiv looks like a Russian disinformation operation to sow doubts about Ukraine's planned counter-offensive, a Ukrainian presidential official said on Friday. Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters that the leaked data reported by the New York Times contained a "very large amount of fictitious information" and that Russia was trying to seize back the initiative in its invasion. "To try to influence the scenarios for Ukraine's counteroffensive plans. Ukrainian troops have faced for months a Russian onslaught in its east concentrated around the city of Bakhmut. It hopes to launch a counter-offensive in the coming weeks or months to wrest back territory held by Russia.

☆ Ukraine seeks to prevent military leaks after NATO assistance plans reportedly appear on social media
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

"The participants of the meeting focused on measures to prevent the leakage of information regarding the plans of the defence forces of Ukraine," it said. One document posted on social media said 16,000 to 17,500 Russian forces had been killed since the invasion. The Ukrainian military said it was holding on in the city but the situation was difficult. Ukrainian military expert Vladyslav Selezniov has said Ukraine will have to pull back if the route for getting supplies in and wounded out is threatened. Eastern Military Command spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi told Reuters Ukraine controlled the situation in Bakhmut and understood Russian intentions.

☆ China has not provided extensive assistance to Russia as part of its war against Ukraine even as the two countries forge closer ties, senior Treasury officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Sam Fossum | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

One senior Treasury official said that China is, as of now, unwilling to provide material support to Russia at scale and in a significant way, pointing instead to Russian efforts to source material from North Korea and Iran. The US and its allies have also taken more direct action, sanctioning a Chinese satellite company providing intelligence to Russian forces in January and putting some Chinese companies on the US export control list. But in recent months officials have also begun to see some results from their public and private efforts. Turkish officials told the US last month that their government has been taking further action to block the transit of sanctioned goods directly to Russia, according to a source familiar with the discussion. In a speech earlier this year on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo publicly warned Russian intelligence services that the US is monitoring their efforts and is cracking down.

☆ Putin built identical offices across Russia to conceal his location, a Russian intelligence officer who defected says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Vladimir Putin has replicas of his offices across Russia, a former intelligence officer said. The officer, who defected from Russia, shed light on Putin's paranoia and obsession with safety. Karakulov told the Dossier Center that offices in Putin's residences in St. Petersburg, Sochi, and Novo-Ogaryovo had been designed to look identical. Karakulov said that Putin sometimes further obscured his location by sending his motorcade to the airport despite remaining at home. While in actual fact, he would stay in Sochi," Karakulov said.

☆ Putin lives in an 'information vacuum' and never uses a cellphone or the internet, a Russian intelligence officer who defected says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Vladimir Putin lives in an "information vacuum," a Russian defector who accompanied him on trips said. Gleb Karakulov told the Dossier Center that Putin doesn't use a cellphone or the internet. Putin instead gathers information from secret service reports and Russian TV news channels, he said. "He only receives information from his closest circle, which means that he lives in an information vacuum." Putin generally gathers information from secret service intelligence reports, as well as Russian TV news channels, according to Karakulov.

☆ Siemens investigating report employee worked for Russian hacking firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ZURICH, March 31 (Reuters) - Siemens (SIEGn.DE) has launched an investigation after Der Spiegel reported a former programmer from Russian IT company NTC Vulkan - which has reported links to Russian security services - worked for the German engineering and tech company. Der Spiegel reported on Friday that more than 90 former staff from NTC Vulkan worked for a several other European companies. The magazine said NTC Vulkan maintains close ties to all three major Russian intelligence services: FSB, GRU and SWR. Its so-called "Vulkan Files" said the company builds cyber programmes for the security services aimed at attacking critical infrastructure facilities. NTC Vulkan did not respond to requests for comment.

☆ Russia can't match the US military's hardware, but it has other ways to keep it from working properly
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But Russian information operations could still affect US forces, a US government watchdog says. Once perceived as a conventional near-peer threat, the Russian military now appears to be more of a paper tiger. While Russia can't match the US military's hardware, it has other ways to keep it from working. Near-peer adversaries, such as China and Russia, know that and have sought ways to counter their more powerful adversary. Doing so could mean that Chinese or Russian intelligence services could not only to influence individual service members but also the performance of specific weapons.

☆ Poland breaks up spy network, says defence minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, March 16 (Reuters) - Poland has broken up a espionage network operating in the country, the defence minister said on Thursday, after private broadcaster RMF FM reported that a group of spies working for Russia had been detained. RMF reported on Wednesday that Polish security services had detained six people suspected of spying for Russia. "This is undoubtedly proof that the Polish services work for the security of our country in a very efficient manner." According to the RMF report, the six people arrested were from countries to the east of Poland and were working for Russian intelligence. RMF reported that security had been stepped up around key railway routes and critical infrastructure as a result of the discovery of the spy network.

☆ Ukraine scorns Russian missile strikes on civilians, defence of Bakhmut holds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/7] Ukrainian servicemen walk along a muddy road near the frontline town of Bakhmut amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Donetsk region, Ukraine March 8, 2023. Kyiv says the air strikes have no military purpose and aim to harm and intimidate civilians, a war crime. Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said that the failure of Russian intelligence to identify military targets and led to a "Plan B - demoralising the population". HYPERSONIC MISSILESThe White House said that the barrage was "devastating" to see and Washington would continue to provide Ukraine with air defence capabilities. Moscow says Bakhmut is important as a step to securing the surrounding Donbas region, a major war aim.

☆ Russia has been able to keep its most effective drone flying over Ukraine thanks to Western-made parts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ukraine and Russia have employed an array of drones since Moscow attacked in February 2022. Despite sanctions imposed by the US and its allies, Russia has been able to keep its most effective drone flying over Ukraine thanks to Western-made parts. The Orlan-10's specifications and characteristics in a graphic published by the Royal United Services Institute in December 2022. Russian intelligence services are likely involved in sourcing this technology through contacts and front companies around the world. Western-made components found in the Orlan-10, according to the Royal United Services Institute.

METALS AND MININGIn a significant widening of its Russia-related sanctions, Treasury announced a new determination by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that allows sanctions on any individual or entity operating in Russia's metals and mining sector. On Friday, it hit four mining and metals sector companies, including TPZ-Rondol, a unit of Russia's largest ammunition maker, for producing weapons for the Russian military, including the navy, the Treasury said. Among other entities hit on Friday were more than a dozen Russian banks. Another bank hit was MTS Bank, which is located in Moscow and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Brian Nelson, Treasury's top sanctions official raised concerns about UAE's decision to license the Russian bank during a visit to the country the week of Jan. 30.

☆ Ex-Russian commander who helped invade Crimea trashes Putin's war speech for leaving out all of Russia's failures in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Igor Girkin noted on Telegram that Putin never mentioned Russia's "failures" in its war with Ukraine. Blah blah blah," Girkin said in a post. Blah blah blah, there's no point in listening any more." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday deemed Russia's war with Ukraine a "strategic failure." "One year after President Putin attacked Ukraine, it's clear that his war has been a strategic failure in every way," Blinken told reporters in Athens, Greece.

☆ FBI investigates hack of its own computer network
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 17 (Reuters) - The FBI is investigating a hack of its computer network, in an isolated incident that was now contained, the agency said on Friday. "The FBI is aware of the incident and is working to gain additional information," the agency said in an emailed statement to Reuters, without providing further details. CNN, which first reported the incident citing people briefed on the matter, said FBI officials believe it involved computers at its New York office which were used to investigate child sexual exploitation. The FBI breach is the latest in a series of high-profile U.S. government hacking incidents over the last decade. The OPM breach was later attributed to Chinese hackers.

☆ Putin's new recruits filling gaps in a decimated Russian unit keep bunching up into a 'pile of people' in battle, making them easy targets, Ukrainian troops say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The small mining town of Vuhledar is the site of ongoing fighting as Russia aims to take more territory. Ukraine's 72nd Mechanized Brigade, an armored unit, has been leading Vuhledar's defense, aided by members of the country's 68th Jaeger infantry brigade, The Guardian reported. "We can see very clearly that they're poorly trained," a senior lieutenant who goes by the call sign of Tykhyi, told The Guardian. The new recruits often "gather in one pile of people" making them easy to target, Tykhyi, 23, told The Guardian. One Ukrainian estimate cited by The Guardian suggested Russia is losing 17 soldiers for each slain Ukrainian defender.

☆ Russia rejects accusation of plot to destabilise Moldova
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 14 (Reuters) - Russia rejected on Tuesday an accusation by Moldova's president that Moscow is plotting to destabilise the former Soviet republic. "Such claims are completely unfounded and unsubstantiated," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement. Russia blamed Ukraine for stirring tension between Russia and Moldova, saying Kyiv was trying to draw Moldova "into a tough confrontation with Russia". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last week his country had uncovered a Russian intelligence plan "for the destruction of Moldova". Sandu, whose country borders Ukraine, has repeatedly expressed concern about Russia's intentions and about the presence of Russian troops in the breakaway Transdniestria region.

☆ Moldova closes airspace, one day after warning of Russian coup plot
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CHISINAU, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Moldova temporarily closed its air space on Tuesday, one day after the tiny east European country's president accused Russia of plotting to bring down its government. "Dear passengers, at this moment, the airspace of the Republic of Moldova is closed. We are waiting for the resumption of flights," Air Moldova, Moldova's main airline, said on Facebook. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last week his country had uncovered a Russian intelligence plan "for the destruction of Moldova". Moldova said last Friday that a Russian missile had violated its airspace during an attack on Ukrainian infrastructure and summoned the Russian ambassador to protest.

☆ Moldovan president warns of Russian plot to topple leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CHISINAU, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Moldova's president accused Russia on Monday of planning to use foreign saboteurs to bring down her tiny country's leadership, stop it joining the European Union and use it in the war against Ukraine. President Maia Sandu made her comments after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last week his country had uncovered a Russian intelligence plan "for the destruction of Moldova", and days after the country's government resigned. Sandu, whose country borders Ukraine, has repeatedly expressed concern about Moscow's intentions towards the former Soviet republic and about the presence of Russian troops in the breakaway Transdniestria region. Our goal is peace and public order in the country," Sandu told a news briefing. Russia denied last year wanting to intervene in Moldova after authorities in Transdniestria said they had been targeted by a series of attacks.

☆ New Russian offensive underway in Ukraine, says NATO
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Ukrainian defenders, who have already held out for months, were braced for new ground attacks, Ukrainian military officials said on Monday. The Russian assault on Bakhmut has been spearheaded by mercenaries of the Wagner group, who have made small but steady gains. The Ukrainian military reported Russian shelling all along the frontline and said 16 settlements had been bombarded near Bakhmut. The Ukrainian governors of Luhansk and Donetsk have recently said that a predicted Russian offensive had begun. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, in what it calls a "special military operation" to "denazify" the country and protect Russian speakers.

☆ Widows of Russian soldiers were filmed being gifted fur coats – but weren't allowed to keep them, an anti-war group says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The widows of Russian soldiers that died in the Donbas region were filmed being gifted fur coats. One of the women in the video told a Russian anti-war group that some later had the coats taken away. The CHTD Telegram news channel shared the clip and said that the "widows were given 21 fur coats as compensation for the breadwinner who died in Ukraine." However, the Russian anti-war group Feminist Anti-War Resistance claimed on Telegram that one of the women in the video told them that she and at least three other women had their fur coats taken away after the video was filmed. The anti-war group said in the Telegram post that it was unclear if all the women in the video were genuine widows.

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