Russia faces retaliation as Ukraine executes a cyberattack on military forces stationed in Crimea, also prompting independent hackers to disrupt operations for airline Aeroflot, grounding numerous flights.
In recent weeks, a series of high-profile cyberattacks have targeted key elements of Russian infrastructure, with the pro-Ukraine hacking group Silent Crow and the Belarusian hacktivist group Cyber Partisans at the forefront of these operations.
On July 28, 2025, Silent Crow and Cyber Partisans jointly launched a major cyberattack on Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot. The assault led to the cancellation of over 100 flights, including domestic routes as well as international flights to countries such as Belarus, Armenia, and Uzbekistan. Silent Crow claimed to have had access to Aeroflot's corporate network for about a year, during which they compromised approximately 7,000 servers, exfiltrated extensive passenger and employee data, and took control of personal computers belonging to staff and senior managers. The group described the damage as strategic and suggested that recovery would cost tens of millions of dollars. They also threatened to release personal data of all Russians who had flown Aeroflot.
This attack marked a significant instance of Silent Crow working alongside the long-established Belarusian Cyber Partisans, who have been active at least since 2022 and focus on fighting authoritarian regimes in Belarus and Russia. Silent Crow characterizes itself as a pro-Ukraine hacktivist collective opposing Russia and its allies, operating without ransom demands, thus differentiating itself from financially motivated hackers.
Russian authorities took the attack seriously: the Kremlin called it "worrying," initiated criminal investigations, and senior officials viewed it as a "wake-up call" for enhancing cyber defenses. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized the ongoing hacker threats to major public service companies.
In addition to the Aeroflot attack, earlier in July 2025, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported a cyber operation against Russian energy giant Gazprom, destroying significant databases and special software. However, details about this operation are less publicized.
The hacking groups' actions underscore the expanding role of coordinated cyber warfare between Ukraine, Belarusian hacktivists, and associated groups against Russian state and corporate digital infrastructure in 2025. Organizations have to determine if a DDoS attack, such as the one allegedly used against Crimea's information systems, is merely a distraction and what it might be distracting them from.
| Hacking Group | Motivation | Notable Recent Action | Targets | Impact | |------------------------|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------------------------------| | Silent Crow | Pro-Ukraine hacktivist | July 2025 cyberattack on Aeroflot airline | Aeroflot, Russian critical infrastructure | 100+ flight cancellations; data exfiltration, server destruction | | Belarusian Cyber Partisans | Anti-dictatorship hacktivist group (Belarus) | Collaborated with Silent Crow on Aeroflot attack | Aeroflot, Belarusian and Russian regimes | Strategic disruption, supporting Ukraine | | Ukrainian Military Intelligence | State cyber operations | Cyberattack on Gazprom | Gazprom | Databases and software destroyed |
As these cyberattacks continue, it remains to be seen how Russia will respond and what measures it will take to protect its digital infrastructure. The Kyiv Independent reported on these cyberattacks, providing updates on their progress and impact.
- The escalating cyberwarfare between hacking groups such as Silent Crow and Belarusian Cyber Partisans, along with Ukrainian Military Intelligence, against Russian state and corporate digital infrastructure, has raised political and security concerns.
- The expanding role of coordinated cyber warfare, as demonstrated by the recent attack on Aeroflot by Silent Crow and the Belarusian Cyber Partisans, has significant implications for not only technology and war-and-conflicts but also crime-and-justice, as these hacking groups threaten to release sensitive data.
- In the wake of these cyberattacks, Russian authorities are investing increased efforts in enhancing cyber defenses, viewing them as a matter of national security, especially given the growing influence of hacktivist groups like Silent Crow and the Belarusian Cyber Partisans.
