A secretive Russian military unit, previously linked to assassinations and destabilization in Europe, is blamed for destructive wiper malware attacks in Ukraine.
September 5, 2024 By Ryan Naraine
A secretive Russian military intelligence unit, previously tied to foreign assassinations and destabilizing actions in Europe, has now been linked to cyberespionage and sabotage operations for the first time, according to a joint advisory from the US government and its allies.
The military unit — identified as Russian GRU’s 161st Specialist Training Center (Unit 29155) — is being blamed for a series of aggressive cyber operations around the world, including the destructive WhisperGate malware that wiped the Master Boot Record (MBR) of computers in Ukraine.
In the past, the investigative website Bellingcat found evidence linking Unit 29155 to the attempted assassinations of Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev in April 2015 and the former GRU Colonel Sergei Skripal in March 2018.
According to the joint advisory, issued by law enforcement and cybersecurity agencies in multiple countries, Unit 29155 is responsible for cyber operations around the world, including the deployment of destructive malware, sabotage and cyberespionage.