NewsUkrainian cyber experts disrupt Russian voting system amid elections

Ukrainian cyber experts disrupt Russian voting system amid elections

A woman (L) casts her ballot next to the bust of Soviet submariner Alexander Marinesko (R) at a polling station in St. Petersburg, Russia, 17 March 2024. The Federation Council has scheduled presidential elections for 17 March 2024. Voting will last three days: March 15, 16 and 17. Four candidates registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation are vying for the post of head of state: Leonid Slutsky, Nikolai Kharitonov, Vladislav Davankov and Vladimir Putin. EPA/ANATOLY MALTSEV Dostawca: PAP/EPA.
A woman (L) casts her ballot next to the bust of Soviet submariner Alexander Marinesko (R) at a polling station in St. Petersburg, Russia, 17 March 2024. The Federation Council has scheduled presidential elections for 17 March 2024. Voting will last three days: March 15, 16 and 17. Four candidates registered by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation are vying for the post of head of state: Leonid Slutsky, Nikolai Kharitonov, Vladislav Davankov and Vladimir Putin. EPA/ANATOLY MALTSEV Dostawca: PAP/EPA.
Images source: © PAP | PAP/EPA/ANATOLY MALTSEV
ed. MAB

17 March 2024 14:55

"The Russian public services website is down. The voting system is down. Ukrainian military intelligence computer experts have bypassed all protection systems. This will continue until the end of the voting" - was reported on Saturday by the Ukrinform agency, citing a source in the Ukrainian military intelligence.

Saturday marks the second day of the three-day Russian presidential elections, in which Vladimir Putin is running as an "independent candidate" backed by United Russia.

It was United Russia that reported earlier on Saturday that it had become a target of a cyberattack. Consequently, its websites were taken offline - according to a Reuters report.

"The voting system is down"

On Saturday morning, the Ukrinform agency also announced that computer experts from the Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) had infiltrated the Russian public services system. This system facilitates electronic voting in the presidential election in the country.

The Russian public services website is down. The voting system is down. Ukrainian military intelligence computer experts have bypassed all protective measures. This situation is expected to persist until the voting concludes - informed the source.

Furthermore, the Ukrinform source added that attacks against the electronic services of the ruling party United Russia are continuing.

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