U.S. widens indictment of Russians in ‘WhisperGate’ conspiracy to destroy Ukrainian and NATO systems

BALTIMORE –

The U.S. Justice Department has widened its indictment of Russians in the so-called `WhisperGate’ malware attack aimed at destroying computer systems in Ukraine and 26 NATO allies including the United States.

A superseding indictment announced Thursday names five Russian military intelligence officers in a conspiracy to demoralize the Ukrainian people on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

One federal official said the “WhisperGate” malware attack in January 2022 could be considered Russia’s first shot in the war. The cyberattacks penetrated U.S. companies and targeted Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and computer systems unrelated to defense, including the judiciary, emergency services, food safety and education, they said.

“Seeking to sap the morale of the Ukrainian public, the defendants also stole and leaked the personal data of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including by posting patient health information and other sensitive private data for sale online and then taunting those victims,” said Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security.

The attacks weren’t limited to Ukraine, Olsen said at a news conference in Baltimore with Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek Barron.

“They targeted computers around the world and used the computer infrastructures of an unwitting U.S.-based company to conduct the WhisperGate attacks,” Olsen said. “They went on to target computer systems in other nations supporting Ukraine in its fight for survival. Ultimately, their targets included computer systems in 26 NATO partners, including the United States.”

A federal grand jury in Baltimore indicted military intelligence officers Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Yury Denisov, Dmitry Goloshubov and Nikolai Korchagin along with Amin Timovich Stigal, a 22-year-old Russian civilian indicted in June. It accuses them of conspiring to gain unauthorized access to computers associated with the governments of Ukraine and its allies. Combined, the U.S. government is offering $60 million in rewards for help leading to the suspects’ locations or malicious cyberactivity.

“This type of cyber warfare will not be tolerated. The scope of Russia’s crimes cannot be ignored,” said William J. DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office.