russia6 articles
Ukraine Takes Out Yandex's AI Infrastructure in Drone Counterstrikes
Ukrainian drone strikes have knocked out two of Yandex's five data centers, disrupting the Russian tech giant's AI services, digital banking, streaming platforms, and other online services. The attacks were described by President Zelenskyy as a direct and symmetrical response to Russian drone strikes targeting Ukrainian data centers, which had already disrupted internet and mobile services for thousands of Ukrainians. The strikes are part of Ukraine's broader escalating long-range drone campaign, which has increasingly targeted Russian infrastructure and commercial assets.
Three Hacker Groups Are Quietly Carving Up Russian Enterprise Networks
Three distinct threat groups – NightEagle, Hacking Cat, and Toy Ghouls – have been identified by Kaspersky as actively targeting Russian enterprises using a range of malicious tools including backdoors, ransomware, and wipers. NightEagle exploits VPN credentials and Active Directory vulnerabilities to deploy the GhostContainer backdoor, while pro-Ukrainian hacktivist group Hacking Cat leverages Exchange server vulnerabilities to deliver the Gorilla RAT and multiple variants of Monkey ransomware, some of which function as wipers. Toy Ghouls, a financially motivated group, has evolved from using leaked ransomware builders to deploying a custom "Bird Agent" backdoor that uses unconventional C2 channels, including an MQTT broker and the Matrix-based Element messenger, to evade detection.
OpenAI Exposes Russian Influence Network Using ChatGPT to Fake a Think Tank
OpenAI banned a cluster of Russian ChatGPT accounts that used VPNs to bypass access restrictions and run an influence operation, generating social media content to promote a fictitious Israeli think tank called the International Burke Institute (IBI). The operation centred on a fabricated "Sovereignty Index" designed to portray Russia favourably and criticise Western nations, with content distributed across platforms including Telegram, X, and LinkedIn, though it reached only relatively small audiences. OpenAI noted that while AI played a limited direct role in content creation, it helped expose the broader infrastructure the actors had built to manufacture credibility and obscure their Russian origins.
Three Russian Spy Groups Are Running OAuth Phishing Ops Against Western Targets
Google's Threat Intelligence Group has identified three suspected Russian cyber-espionage groups — UNC6293, UNC7005, and UNC5976 — conducting highly targeted phishing campaigns against individuals in government, academia, aerospace, and think tanks across Europe and the US. The groups, likely linked to Russia's SVR intelligence service, have increasingly abused legitimate OAuth authentication flows to steal account access tokens, making their attacks harder to detect as malicious. Targets are urged to be vigilant about unsolicited calendar invites, conference invitations, and file-sharing requests, which the operatives use as lures to compromise personal and professional accounts.
Russian Intel Is Using Your CCTV Camera to Watch NATO Weapons Shipments
Russian intelligence services are systematically compromising internet-connected security cameras across Europe and Ukraine to monitor military logistics, weapons shipments, and troop movements, according to a July 10 advisory from Dutch intelligence agencies. In Ukraine, the access has gone beyond surveillance, being used to target military personnel and equipment, while across NATO states it is gathering broader military intelligence. Entry is typically straightforward, exploiting default passwords, outdated firmware, and publicly exposed devices, with image-recognition software then automating the search for military vehicles and cargo.
Russia's Shadow Fleet May Be Running a Drone Harassment Campaign Across NATO Europe
A new report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies suggests that a series of mysterious drone incidents over European NATO bases, airports, and critical infrastructure between 2024 and 2026 may form part of a coordinated Kremlin campaign, with Russian-linked "shadow fleet" ships likely serving as launch platforms. The report identified 144 suspicious drone sightings across a dozen NATO countries, correlating many incidents with the nearby presence of Russian-linked vessels, and highlighted Russian drones such as the Orlan-10 as likely candidates given their range and capability to operate from commercial ships. Europe's response has so far been fragmented, and the IISS warns that addressing the threat will require better cross-border coordination, clearer rules of engagement, and greater willingness to intercept suspicious vessels operating near European coastlines.