Ukrainian HUR launches a cyberattack on Russian universities that train drone operators

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry carried out a cyber attack on the network infrastructure of the North Caucasus Federal University, which trains drone operators, digital communications specialists and engineers for the Russian occupation army, a source familiar with the matter told UkrInform.

The Russian army launches Shahed drones against Ukraine almost every day. Attacks are directed against critical energy infrastructure, systems and buildings. The Ukrainian military is gradually destroying the bases where the Russians store drones and the production facilities where intruders make them.

The North Caucasus Federal University supports the operation of several educational institutions in several regions of Russia, including seven institutes. The cyber operation compromised the university’s internal information infrastructure and destroyed websites, databases and file storage systems totaling over 150 terabytes of data.

According to the source, HUR hackers attacked 11 websites, over 7,000 computers, 135 servers and storage systems.

A series of cyberattacks targeted additional Russian internet resources and file storage systems in an attempt to divert attention from the main attack. After gaining access to the Russian network, a leaflet supporting the offensive operations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was published on the compromised websites.

The operation weakened the aggressor state’s educational and scientific foundations and its ability to train military specialists by carrying out special intelligence tasks in cyberspace.

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