HUR Reports Cyberattack on Russian State Satellite Data Processing Center

According to a report from the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on Telegram, hackers targeted the Far Eastern scientific research center of space hydrometeorology, Planet – a Russian state enterprise responsible for receiving and processing military satellite data.

The attack, attributed to cyber volunteers from the BO Team group, resulted in the destruction of 280 servers and a loss of approximately 2 petabytes (2 million gigabytes) of data.

The estimated value of the digital array lost by Russia is at least $10 million, the HUR reports.

This Russian federal-level state enterprise is involved in receiving and processing satellite data, providing essential products to over 50 state entities, primarily the military, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

The hackers succeeded in destroying weather and satellite data actively used by the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Roscosmos, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Affairs, and several other agencies. Unique research developed over the years was also obliterated.

The HUR reported that the supercomputer equipped in the center cannot be restored. A single computing device, along with its software, costs $350,000. Obtaining such software is unlikely under the conditions of Western sanctions on Russia, the HUR said.

In addition to data warehouses, servers, and computers, the cyberattack paralyzed the air conditioning, humidification systems, and the regulation of the emergency power supply in the center building.

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Subsequently, the HUR added that due to this hacker attack, the Russian station in the Arctic on the island of Bolshevik, which plays a crucial role in Russia’s military sphere, was completely cut off from the network.

“Dozens of strategic companies in Russia, integral to defense and supporting Russian occupation forces, will be without critically important information and services for an extended period,” emphasized Ukrainian intelligence officers.

In a previous incident at the beginning of January, the HUR obtained 100 gigabytes of classified information from a significant enterprise in Russia's military-industrial complex—Special Technology Center LLC, under sanctions since 2016.

The estimated value of the received intelligence data was $1.5 billion.

This Russian enterprise produces military equipment and machinery utilized by the Russian army in the ongoing war with Ukraine. Among its manufactured products are various modifications of the UAV “Orlan,” numerous tools for electronic warfare (EW) and intelligence, and other military equipment.

The transferred information encompasses documentation for 194 nomenclature units, including drawings, specifications, patents, software, etc. This encompasses both existing and prospective military developments.