Ukrainian Cyber Offensive Hits Russian Fuel and Telecom Networks, Causing Millions in Losses

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) cyber units have carried out a large-scale operation against Russia, disrupting fuel payment systems, telecommunications infrastructure, and dozens of online resources.

According to a source in the Main Intelligence Directorate who spoke to Ukrinform on September 8, Ukrainian cyber specialists launched a massive DDoS attack targeting the Russia`s network infrastructure that supports online fuel payments, including the use of fuel cards on the morning of September 7.

The attack disabled the “Advanced Payment Systems” platform, which manages RosPetrol fuel cards, as well as servers belonging to Rostelecom and Lukoil. Intelligence estimates put the financial losses for Russia at between $1 million and $3 million.

That same day, Ukrainian cyber forces struck the infrastructure of Russian telecom operator K-Corp. More than 700 switches and 13 servers in two data centers were taken offline, bringing the company’s operations to a complete standstill, HUR reported.

K-Corp was deliberately targeted because it provides telecommunications services to the Russian defense giant Kalashnikov Concern—directly complicit in the killing of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians, including women and children.

In addition, dozens of Russian online platforms were hacked, with their homepages displaying a message marking Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Day.

Earlier, Amazon’s security intelligence team thwarted a cyber-espionage operation carried out by APT29, the Kremlin-backed hacking group known as “Midnight Blizzard.”