On Monday, German authorities issued a warning that a notorious Russian military intelligence unit has been carrying out cyberattacks against various European and global targets.
The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) identified unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) as the perpetrator behind these activities. This unit has been involved in cyberattacks and reconnaissance operations targeting NATO and EU countries.
According to the BfV, unit 29155 was responsible for the cyberattacks in January 2022 on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, just before Russia’s large-scale invasion in February of that year.
Last week, the United States charged five members of a subset of unit 29155, along with one civilian, for their involvement in the WhisperGate cyber campaign.
This campaign targeted numerous Ukrainian government computer systems.
The FBI described WhisperGate malware as a sophisticated cyberweapon intended to disable Ukraine’s government and critical infrastructure.
Unlike typical ransomware, WhisperGate was designed to completely destroy targeted computers and their data rather than merely encrypting it for ransom.
Germany’s BfV noted that since 2022, unit 29155 has focused on espionage and disrupting aid to Ukraine. The German intelligence agency has joined forces with over a dozen Western law enforcement agencies, including those from the U.S. and Ukraine, in exposing the GRU’s global espionage and sabotage efforts, which have been ongoing at least since 2020.
Earlier this summer, Germany also accused Russia of state-sponsored cyberattacks against its ruling party and various sectors, including IT, logistics, and aerospace.
These attacks involved stealing and publishing sensitive data, further highlighting the extent of Russia’s cyber operations.
