View source for Anonymous and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

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|Article={{Short description|Cyberattacks on Russia by the hacker collective}}
'''[[Anonymous (hacker group)|Anonymous]]''', a decentralized international activist and [[hacktivist]] collective, has conducted numerous cyber-operations against [[Russia]] ever since the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].

== Prelude ==

Starting from late 2021, Anonymous took notice of the [[Prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|military build-up]] near the [[Russia-Ukraine border]] and thus acted to propagate peace plans to end the [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|War in Donbass]] by defacing various websites, such as United Nations' Networks on Migration, [[Polar Research Institute of China]], [[Convention on Biological Diversity]], and various government websites in [[China]].<ref name="taiwannews.com.tw">{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous posts pro-Taiwan pages on UN website for Christmas {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2021-12-23 17:16:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4386400 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=24 December 2021 |date=23 December 2021}}</ref><ref name="Anonymous posts 'Taiwan Numbah Wan!">{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous posts 'Taiwan Numbah Wan!' on Chinese government website {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-01-18 13:22:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4413689 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=18 January 2022 |date=18 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous posts 'Taiwan Numbah Wan!' on UN agency website {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-01-26 13:13:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4422334 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=26 January 2022 |date=26 January 2022}}</ref><ref name="Anonymous posts Taiwan flag, Peng S">{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous posts Taiwan flag, Peng Shuai on CCP website {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-02-07 19:01:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4434420 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=10 February 2022 |date=7 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="Anonymous hacks Chinese site, Russi">{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous hacks Chinese site, Russian device as 'warning shot' over Ukraine {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-02-24 18:01:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4454191 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=25 February 2022 |date=24 February 2022}}</ref>

In the hacking campaign named "Operation Samantha Smith", which is a reference to the [[Samantha Smith|1980s child peace activist]], they called for a [[Referendums in Ukraine|referendum in Ukraine]] on whether to presumably follow the now-defunct [[Minsk Protocol]] or hand over the separatist-controlled territories to a [[UN peacekeeping]] [[List of territories governed by the United Nations|administration]]. Later, a second referendum in the separatist regions would then ask voters to choose to reunite with Ukraine, gain independence, or join [[Russia]]. Besides that, they also called for the creation of a "neutral grouping" of countries "wedged between NATO and Russia" that would include [[Ukraine]], [[Finland]], [[Belarus]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], and [[Moldova]]. Anonymous argued that the so-called "neutral security belt" could serve as an alliance similar to the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]] (NATO) or the [[Collective Security Treaty Organization]] (CSTO) that acts as a [[Cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire]] between NATO and CSTO countries in order to "assuage Russia's fears without NATO losing its face."<ref name="taiwannews.com.tw"/><ref name="Anonymous posts 'Taiwan Numbah Wan!"/>

As the situation escalated, they threatened to take hostage of industrial control systems and implicitly warned Russia that the "sole party to be blamed if we escalate on that, will be the same one who started it in the very first place with troop buildups, childish threats, and waves of unreasonable ultimatums." Furthermore, they urged the [[United Nations]] to immediately deploy peacekeepers on "at least the Ukrainian side of the frontline in [[Donbass]]" under the basis of UN Resolution 337 (V) to "prevent any further provocations" by any side.<ref name="Anonymous posts Taiwan flag, Peng S"/>

In the aftermath of [[Russia]]'s [[International recognition of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic|recognition]] of the [[Donetsk People's Republic]] and the [[Luhansk People's Republic]] and in accordance to the hacking collective's threats to take hostage of industrial control systems, they conducted a small hack on a Russian [[Modbus]] device which they've announced on a hacked [[China|Chinese]] cultural website, although early on Anonymous kept the location of the hack ambiguous.

According to Anonymous, the Modbus device was said to be a [[Schneider Electric]]'s Modicon M251 logic controller, and that they were previously "playing nice" so not to give [[Russia]] a [[casus belli]] but because of the subsequent [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], Operation Samantha Smith was presumably deemed as a failure and Anonymous would start attacking Russian websites and systems as retaliation.<ref name="Anonymous hacks Chinese site, Russi"/>

== Operation Russia ==
{{See also|Russo-Ukrainian War|2022 Ukraine cyberattacks|2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis|Operation Samantha Smith|Timeline of events associated with Anonymous}}
On February 25, 2022, Twitter accounts associated with Anonymous declared that they had launched a 'cyber operation' against the [[Russian Federation]], in retaliation for the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|invasion of Ukraine]] ordered by Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]]. The operation was dubbed "OpRussia". The group later temporarily disabled websites such as [[RT (TV network)|RT.com]] and the website of the [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|Defence Ministry]] along with other state owned websites.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1496954233492541444 |user=YourAnonNews |title=#Anonymous is currently involved in operations against the Russian Federation. Our operations are targeting the Russian government. There is an inevitability that the private sector will most likely be affected too. While this account cannot claim to speak for the whole (con)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1496891433843888134 |user=YourAnonTV |title=JUST IN: Hacking group #Anonymous launches 'full-scale' cyberattacks on Russian government websites in retaliation for #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine. #OpRussia #StandwithUkraine}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|date=July 2022}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-25 |title=Anonymous Hackers Launch Cyber Ops Against Russia, Claim Government Site Takedowns - HS Today |url=https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/cybersecurity/anonymous-hackers-launch-cyber-ops-against-russia-claim-government-site-takedowns/ |access-date=2022-02-25 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=((Superadmin)) |title=Anonymous group declares 'cyberwar' on Russia |url=https://www.uniindia.com/story/Anonymous-group-declares-cyberwar-on-Russia |access-date=2022-02-25 |website=www.uniindia.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Russia-Ukraine war: Anonymous hackers launch cyberwar against Russia taking down government websites |url=https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/russia-ukraine-war-anonymous-hackers-launch-cyberwar-against-russia-taking-down-government-websites/articleshow/89817168.cms |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> Anonymous also leaked 200 GB worth of emails from the Belarusian weapons manufacturer Tetraedr, which provided logistical support for Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-26 |title=Anonymous hacked the Russian Defense Ministry and is targeting Russian companies |url=https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/128428/hacking/anonymous-russian-defense-ministry.html |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Security Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref> Anonymous also hacked into Russian TV channels and played Ukrainian music<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-27 |title=Russian media channels broadcast Ukrainian songs after hacker group Anonymous declare cyber war |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/world/anonymous-hacker-group-russia-tv-channels-broadcast-ukrainian-songs-1486735 |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=inews.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> through them and showed uncensored news of what was happening in Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milmo |first=Dan |date=2022-02-27 |title=Anonymous: the hacker collective that has declared cyberwar on Russia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/27/anonymous-the-hacker-collective-that-has-declared-cyberwar-on-russia |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=The Guardian |language=en |quote=...the group had hacked Russian state TV channels, posting pro-Ukraine content including patriotic songs and images from the invasion.}}</ref>

They hacked into a Russian Center for the Protection of Monuments website (memorials.tomsk.ru) and uploaded three defacement pages adorned with the blue and yellow colors of the [[Ukrainian flag]]. In the first defacement page, they included the standard Anonymous logo, a music video of Mandopop song [[Fragile (Namewee song)|Fragile]], brief announcement that the Operation Samantha Smith has morphed into Operation Russia and Operation Ukraine while warned "we will do what we must" following the Russian military invasion, and a photo of Ukrainian revolutionary [[Nestor Makhno]].<ref name=":www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4455240">{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous hacks into Russian website, devices to retaliate for Ukraine invasion {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-02-25 18:18:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4455240 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=25 February 2022 |date=25 February 2022}}</ref>

Following through their threats during Operation Samantha Smith, Anonymous had also hacked a [[China|Chinese]] [[SIMATIC]] [[programmable logic controller]] along with two [[Russia]]n [[Modbus]] devices. [[Memes]] from social-networking website [[Reddit]] appeared on the defaced website, including an image of Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] in heavy makeup with a rainbow as a background, together with a series of embedded Reddit posts which asked users to vote for which parts of [[Russia]] should [[Secession in Russia|declare independence]]. Next, appearing on the hacked website are the [[Ukrainian national anthem]], Ukrainian coat of arms and a map appearing to show [[Kuomintang]] plans for an [[Project National Glory|invasion of China]] and the [[Soviet Union]].<ref name=":www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4455240" />

In the second defacement page uploaded by Anonymous to memorials.tomsk.ru, the photos and the names of deceased passengers from [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 17]] were shown, while in the third defacement page, the Anonymous logo, the [[Guy Fawkes mask]] image, and a video that plays the circus theme song "[[Entrance of the Gladiators]]" on loop for 10 hours appeared. In an interview, the spokesperson of the hacking collective emphasized that "Anonymous is not a group, not a country, but an amorphous idea. It flows like air, like water, like everything. Let it be known that since its inception, Anonymous never have restrictions that say that only [[homo sapiens]] can be part of it.", while threatening that any further cyberattacks will be "precipitated by Russia's continued failure in recognizing the territorial aggression in itself is nothing but a relic of dark ages in the distant past."<ref name=":www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4455240" />

Besides posting Ukrainian president [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]]'s defiant speech against the invasion and a video calling for the creation of neutral grouping of countries between NATO and Russia into memorials.tomsk.ru, Anonymous announced that they had hacked a Russian [[Linux]] terminal and a gas control system in [[North Ossetia constituency|North Ossetia]], while stating that they had almost caused an explosion in the latter, but did not because of a fast-acting human worker. The hacking collective also added several hashtags and slogans, including "SlavaUkraini", "#OpRussia", "Putin #EpikFail", and "/r/opukraine" into the gas control system.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |date=27 February 2022 |title=Anonymous hacks Russian website, Linux terminal, and nearly ignites gas control system {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 27 February 2022 17:46:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4457026 |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=Taiwan News}}</ref>

Anonymous is also believed to be responsible for hacking several Russian state TV channels; many users on [[Twitter]] and [[TikTok]] uploaded videos showing channels playing [[Music of Ukraine|Ukrainian music]] and displaying pro-Ukraine images, flags, and symbols.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anonymous claims responsibility for Russian government website outages |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/anonymous-hacks-russia-websites-190045299.html |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=finance.yahoo.com}}</ref> Furthermore, they had hacked Russian television services in order to broadcast footage of the war in Ukraine, and systems believed to be related to Russian space agency [[Roscosmos]] where they defaced its website and leaked mission files.<ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous is 'waging war' on Russia: Several broadcasts hacked |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-700529 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |access-date=7 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous says Russia's spy satellites are now hacked. But the nation denies everything |url=https://interestingengineering.com/says-russia-denies-anonymous-hack-claims |website=interestingengineering.com |access-date=7 March 2022 |date=3 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Faife |first1=Corin |title=Anonymous-linked group hacks Russian space research site, claims to leak mission files |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/3/22960183/anonymous-hack-russian-space-research-roscosmos-ukraine |website=The Verge |access-date=7 March 2022 |language=en |date=3 March 2022}}</ref>

A yacht allegedly belonging to [[Vladimir Putin]] was reportedly hacked by the group where they changed its call sign to “FCKPTN” and setting its target destination to “hell”. Furthermore, they broadcast a [[troll face]] picture through a hacked Russian military radio.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hackers set the intended destination of Putin's $100 million yacht to "hell" |url=https://www.mic.com/impact/anonymous-hackers-putin-yacht-call-sign |website=Mic |access-date=7 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Lee |title=Vigilante group Anonymous hacks Russian state TV with banned Ukraine footage |url=https://nypost.com/2022/03/07/anonymous-hacks-russian-state-tv-with-footage-of-ukraine-war/ |website=New York Post |access-date=7 March 2022 |date=7 March 2022}}</ref>

At least 2,500 Russian and [[Belarus]]ian targets were reportedly hacked by Anonymous. These included more than three hundred websites of Russian government agencies, state media outlets, banks, as well as websites of leading Belarusian banks such as Belarusbank, Priorbank and Belinvestbank. Furthermore, they also hacked a website belonging to [[Chechnya]]'s regional government. They also warned that “If things continue as they have been in the past few days, the cyber war will be expanded and our measures will be massively increased. This is the final warning to the entire Russian government. Don’t mess with Anonymous.”<ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous hacks more than 300 Russian official websites |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3415783-anonymous-hacks-more-than-300-russian-official-websites.html |website=www.ukrinform.net |access-date=7 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous Claims More Than 2,500 Targets Hacked in First Week of #OpRussia Offensive - HS Today |url=https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/cybersecurity/anonymous-claims-more-than-2500-targets-hacked-in-first-week-of-oprussia-offensive/ |access-date=7 March 2022 |date=4 March 2022}}</ref>

Over 400 Russian cameras were hacked by Anonymous with anti-Putin messages such as "Putin is killing children". Some of the cameras had its live feeds compiled onto a website called behindenemylines.live. On the website, Anonymous explains that the hacks are a message to Russia that it must "pay a huge price because of the shameful decision of the dictator Putin to attack an independent Ukraine by armed forces." It asserted that sanctions imposed on Russia will result in state collapse and have worse consequences for its citizens than the [[Russian oligarchs|oligarchy]]. Anonymous further stated that  "150 million Russians do not know the truth about the causes or course of the war in Ukraine" and are instead fed a steady stream of "Kremlin propaganda." Anonymous stated that the purposes of the hacks are to "spread information to the Russian people" as well as serve as a possible reconnaissance tool for Ukraine. It then directly addressed Russians: "we just want you to know that you are being brainwashed by state propaganda, and the [[Kremlin]] and Putin are lying to you." Besides that, they emphasized that "Ukraine is not controlled by [[Nazis]]" and hence the Ukrainian people "do not need you to 'free' them." while calling for a [[revolution|popular uprising]], vowing that they will receive support from the rest of the world.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous hacks over 400 Russian cameras to support Ukraine {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-03-09 11:39:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4466470 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=9 March 2022 |date=9 March 2022}}</ref>

In response to the seizure of Ukraine's [[Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant]] by Russia, Anonymous defaced the website of [[Rosatom]] and gained access to gigabytes of data which they intended to leak publicly. Furthermore, they had hacked into printers in Russia to spread  anti-propaganda messages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous hacker group defaces Rosatom's website, launches massive leak of operator's data |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3431056-anonymous-hacker-group-defaces-rosatoms-website-launches-massive-leak-of-operators-data.html |website=www.ukrinform.net |access-date=6 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous hacks into Russian firm running Ukrainian nuclear plant {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-03-15 18:51:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4474025 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=6 April 2022 |date=15 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kika |first1=Thomas |title=Anonymous hacks into Russian printers to deliver resistance information |url=https://newsweek.com/anonymous-hacks-russian-printers-deliver-resistance-information-1690269 |website=Newsweek |access-date=6 April 2022 |language=en |date=21 March 2022}}</ref>

In the aftermath of [[Bucha massacre]], the hacking collective leaked the personal information of 120,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous apparently behind doxing of 120K Russian soldiers in Ukraine war |url=https://www.newsweek.com/anonymous-leaks-personal-data-120k-russian-soldiers-fighting-ukraine-1694555 |website=Newsweek |access-date=6 April 2022 |language=en |date=3 April 2022}}</ref>

== Hacks ==
On '''March 7, 2022''', Anonymous actors DepaixPorteur and TheWarriorPoetz declared on Twitter<ref name="twitter.com">{{Cite web |title=Anonymous on Twitter: "Behind Enemy Lines" Russian camera dump |url=https://twitter.com/DepaixPorteur/status/1500943962860924936 |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|date=July 2022}} that they hacked 400 Russian surveillance cameras and broadcast them on a website.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-12 |title=Anonymous sent 7 million texts to Russians plus hacked 400 of their security cams |url=https://www.hackread.com/anonymous-sent-texts-to-russians-hacked-security-cams/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=HackRead |language=en-US}}</ref> They call this operation "Russian Camera Dump".<ref name="twitter.com"/>{{Self-published inline|date=July 2022}}

On '''March 10, 2022''', Anonymous claimed responsibility for the theft and publication of 820 GB<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Best |first1=Emma |last2=Lorax |first2=B. Horne |author-link1=Emma_Best_(journalist) |date=2022-03-10 |title=Release: Roskomnadzor (820 GB) |url=https://ddosecrets.substack.com/p/release-roskomnadzor-820-gb |access-date=2022-03-10 |website=Distributed Email of Secrets}}</ref> worth of documents from [[Roskomnadzor]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brewster |first=Thomas |title=An 'Unhappy American' In The Russia-Ukraine Information War Promises A Huge Leak Of Data Stolen From The Kremlin's Internet Censor |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2022/03/10/dddosecrets-in-the-russia-ukraine-information-war-promises-a-huge-leak-of-data-stolen-from-the-kremlins-internet-censor/ |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Anonymous releases 364,000 files about Russia's censorship of invasion |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2022/03/11/ukraine-anonymous-hackers-cyber-attack-censorship/9671647008213/ |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref> It is being released by [[Distributed Denial of Secrets]] (DDoSecrets).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Anonymous hacks Russian federal agency, releases 360,000 documents |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-700940 |access-date=2022-03-10 |website=[[The Jerusalem Post]] {{!}} JPost.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="DDoS"/> DDoSecrets writes about the leak: "This dataset was released in the buildup to, in the midst of, or in the aftermath of a cyberwar or hybrid war. Therefore, there is an increased chance of malware, ulterior motives and altered or implanted data, or false flags/fake personas. As a result, we encourage readers, researchers and journalists to take additional care with the data."<ref name="DDoS">{{cite web|url=https://ddosecrets.com/wiki/Roskomnadzor|title=Roskomnadzor|publisher=[[Distributed Denial of Secrets]] |access-date=2022-03-10}}</ref> The leak revealed a new online surveillance system tracking anti-war sentiment and other "threats" to Russian stability and the Putin regime.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The hunt for 'antimilitarism' Leaked documents indicate that Russia's federal censor has been monitoring the Internet for peace activism since at least 2020 |url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/04/13/the-hunt-for-antimilitarism |access-date=2022-04-17 |website=Meduza |language=en}}</ref>

On '''March 25, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published approximately 22.5 gigabytes of emails allegedly from the [[Central Bank of Russia]], which was allegedly hacked by Anonymous actor Thblckrbbtworld.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-26 |title=Confirmed: Anonymous Hacks Central Bank of Russia; Leaks 28GB of Data |url=https://www.hackread.com/anonymous-hacks-central-bank-russia-leaks-28gb-data/ |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=HackRead |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''March 29, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published  2.4 gigabytes of emails from RostProekt, which was hacked by Anonymous actor DepaixPorteur. RostProekt is a Russian construction company. The RostProekt hack was dubbed as a "celebration" for the grand opening of the now-defunct AnonymousLeaks, a leak site solely for leaks from the Anonymous Collective.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-26 |title=DepaixPorteur on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/depaixporteur/status/1508166122624933896 |access-date=2022-03-27 |website=Twitter |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|date=July 2022}}

On '''April 1, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published approximately 79,000 emails from Transneft, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-02 |title=The hacking will continue until Russia stops their aggression |url=https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/129276/data-breach/anonymous-transneft-data-leak.html |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 2, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published approximately 200,000 emails from Capital Legal Services, which was hacked by Anonymous actor Wh1t3Sh4d0w.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-02 |title=The hacking will continue until Russia stops their aggression |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/world/anonymous-collective-announced-on-twitter-the-hacking-will-continue-until-russia-stops-their-aggression/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 4, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published more than 900,000 emails from the [[All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company]] (VGTRK), which were hacked by the Anonymous aligned NB65.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-04 |title=Hackers steal 900K emails from Russia's largest state-owned media corporation |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/hackers-vgtrk-920k-emails-anonymous-russia/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 7, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published approximately 100,000 emails from Aerogas, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-08 |title=Three Russian firms have over 400 GB worth of emails leaked |url=https://cybernews.com/cyber-war/three-russian-firms-have-over-400-gb-worth-of-emails-leaked/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=CyberNews |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 11, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published approximately 230,000 emails from [[Blagoveshchensk]] City Administration, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-12 |title=Anonymous Hits Russian Ministry of Culture- Leaks 446GB of Data |url=https://www.hackread.com/anonymous-hits-russian-ministry-of-culture-leaks-446gb-of-data/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=HackRead |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 12, 2022''', which is the [[Cosmonautics Day]] that commemorates cosmonaut [[Yuri Gagarin]]'s [[Vostok 1]] mission to space, Anonymous-affiliated hacktivist [[Cyber Anakin]] broke into five Russian websites, specifically the Russian heavy metal band Aria's site, a Russian hockey site, a Panerai watch enthusiasts site, a basketball team site, and an educational organization site, to put up defacement pages, with pop up messages such as "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the defenders" and "I find the orcs lack of morality disturbing". They also included videos featuring [[Darth Vader]] and the "Star Wars" song "The Imperial March," the online game [[Roblox]], disco song "[[Kung Fu Fighting]]", Mandopop music video "Fragile", and a performance of Ukraine's national anthem by cellist [[Yo-Yo Ma]]. Besides that, memes showing characters wearing a Guy Fawkes mask and the acronym "A.S.S." which stands for "Anonymous Strategic Support" were shown. The hacktivist proposed a list of "post-war settlement solutions" on behalf of the hacking collective against Russia; examples included financial compensation for the victims of [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 17]], the establishment of a United Nations interim administration in [[occupied territories of Ukraine]], a referendum on the status of such territories, creation of a neutral security belt in the region, monetary reparations of at least US$70 billion to Ukraine for reconstruction, the fulfillment of [[Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956]] to presumably resolve the [[Kuril Islands dispute]], cession of some Russian [[Research stations in Antarctica|Antarctic bases]] to countries such as [[Iran]], agreement to a potential enlargement of UN Security Council to include Brazil, South Africa and India with the increase of the minimum number of a successful veto to two or more, alongside unusual ones such as the pooling of funds from Russia to develop novel treatments against [[COVID-19]] such as [[DRACO|DRACO (double-stranded RNA activated caspase oligomerizer)]] and [[long COVID]] experimental treatment drug BC 007, and to construct a [[knowledge ark]] in [[outer space|space]], ideally located at least in the middle region of the [[Asteroid Belt]] within [[Solar System]]. Furthermore, they leaked 446 GB of data from [[Russian Ministry of Culture]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous' Cyber Anakin hacks 5 Russian websites over Ukraine war {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-04-12 18:33:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4504770 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=12 April 2022 |date=12 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=19:15 (Вс), 11 Апреля 2021 состоялся матч между ХК Ice Sharks и ХК Черняховские Медведи |url=https://www.hockey39.ru/news/view/1915-vs-11-aprela-2021-sostoalsa-matc-mezdu-hk-ice-sharks-i-hk-cernahovskie-medvedi |website=www.hockey39.ru |access-date=9 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411165921/https://www.hockey39.ru/news/view/1915-vs-11-aprela-2021-sostoalsa-matc-mezdu-hk-ice-sharks-i-hk-cernahovskie-medvedi |archive-date=11 April 2021 |language=ru-RU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Further patients benefit from drug against Long COVID › Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg |url=https://www.fau.eu/2021/08/27/news/research/further-patients-benefit-from-drug-against-long-covid/ |access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous Hits Russian Ministry of Culture- Leaks 446GB of Data |url=https://www.hackread.com/anonymous-hits-russian-ministry-of-culture-leaks-446gb-of-data/ |access-date=13 April 2022 |date=12 April 2022}}</ref>

On '''April 13, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published roughly 495,000 emails from Technotec, which was hacked by the Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-13 |title=Anonymous Collective's Cyber attack on Technotecs Russian Oil Company, Leaves 495,000 emails on DDoSecrets |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/anonymous-collectives-cyber-attack-on-technotecs-russian-oil-company-leaves-495000-emails-on-ddosecrets/ |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 15, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published roughly 400 gigabytes of emails from the Continent Express, a Russian travel agency, which was hacked by the Anonymous aligned NB65.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-16 |title=Anonymous collective NB65 hacks 400 GB of files and databases from Continent Express, Russia's largest independent travel agency |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/anonymous-collective-nb65-hacks-400-gb-of-files-and-databases-from-continent-express-russias-largest-independent-travel-agency/ |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 18, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published 222 gigabytes of emails, files and decryption keys from Gazregion, which was hacked by three different sources around the same time, including the Anonymous actor DepaixPorteur, the Anonymous affiliated NB65, and an unnamed actor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-18 |title=The Anonymous collective has leaked 222 GB of emails and files from Gazregion |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/the-anonymous-collective-has-leaked-222-gb-of-emails-and-files-from-gazregion/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 19, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published  15,600 emails from GUOV i GS - General Dept. of Troops and Civil Construction, which was hacked by the Anonymous actor DepaixPorteur.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-19 |title=Anonymous leaks 15,600 new emails from GUOV I GS via DDoSecrets |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/anonymous-leaks-15600-new-emails-from-guov-i-gs-via-ddosecrets/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 20, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published 250,000 emails from Worldwide Invest, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-22 |title=Anonymous hacked and released data from Worldwide Invest and Sawatzky |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/anonymous-hacked-and-released-data-from-worldwide-invest-and-sawatzky/#:~:text=Anonymous%20hacked%20and%20released%20data%20from%20Worldwide%20Invest%20and%20Sawatzky,-Ad&text=According%20to%20a%20recent%20update,are%20Worldwide%20Invest%20and%20Sawatzky. |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 20, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published 426,000 emails from Worldwide Invest, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-22 |title=Anonymous released 426,000 new emails from Tendertech |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/anonymous-released-426000-new-emails-from-tendertech/ |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 22, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published 365,000 emails from Accent Capital, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-22 |title=Anonymous leaks 365,000 emails from Accent Capital via DDoSecrets |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/anonymous-leaks-365000-emails-from-accent-capital-via-ddosecrets/ |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=Security Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''April 25, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published nearly 1,100,000 emails from ALET/АЛЕТ, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-25 |title=Anonymous has published nearly 1.1 million emails from ALET / АЛЕТ on DDoSecrets |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/anonymous-has-published-nearly-1-1-million-emails-from-alet-%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82-on-ddosecrets/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''May 5, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published roughly 480 gigabytes of files, emails and disk images from CorpMSP, which was hacked by the Anonymous aligned NB65.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-06 |title=Anonymous collective NB65 hacks Over 480 GB emails from CorpMSP, a Russian government organization |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/anonymous-collective-nb65-hacks-over-480-gb-emails-from-corpmsp-a-russian-government-organization/ |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''May 9, 2022''', which is the [[Victory Day (9 May)|Victory Day in Russia]], the video-hosting website [[RuTube]] was taken down through cyberattacks, which Anonymous had claimed responsibility later. Furthermore, Network Battalion 65 (NB65), a hacktivist group affiliated with Anonymous, has reportedly hacked Russian payment processor [[Qiwi]]. A total of 10.5 [[terabytes]] of data including transaction records and customers' credit cards had been exfiltrated. They further infected Qiwi with [[ransomware]]s and threatened to release more customer records.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mughal |first1=Arsi |title=Anonymous Claims To Have Hacked Russian Streaming Service RuTube On Victory Day |url=https://www.chiangraitimes.com/news/anonymous-claims-to-have-hacked-russian-streaming-service-rutube-on-victory-day/ |access-date=8 June 2022 |date=12 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Anonymous NB65 Claims Hack on Russian Payment Processor Qiwi |url=https://www.hackread.com/anonymous-nb65-hacki-russia-payment-processor-qiwi/ |access-date=9 May 2022 |date=9 May 2022}}</ref>

On '''May 11, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published over 466 gigabytes of emails from the [[Nikolai M. Knipovich Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography]] (PINRO), which was hacked by Anonymous actors DepaixPorteur and B00daMooda.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-14 |title=OpRussia update: Anonymous breached other organizations  |url=https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/131264/hacktivism/anonymous-oprussia-updates.html |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=Security Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''May 12, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published over 7,000  emails from the [[Achinsk]] City Government, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-12 |title=Anonymous breached Achinsk City government email database with 7000 emails leaked |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/anonymous-breached-achinsk-city-government-email-database-with-7000-emails-leaked/ |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''May 13, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published 116,500 emails from SOCAR Energoresource, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-13 |title=Russian SOCAR Energoresource company became victim of cyber attack by Anonymous Collective |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/current-affairs/russian-socar-energoresource-company-became-victim-of-cyber-attack-by-anonymous-collective/ |access-date=2022-05-13 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''May 30, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published more than 184 gigabytes of emails from Metprom Group LLC, which was hacked by the Anonymous actors DepaixPorteur, B00daMooda, and Wh1t3Sh4d0w.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-31 |title=Anonymous Collective hacked and released emails data of Metprom Group that has worked on dozens of projects with companies like ArcelorMittal |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/anonymous-collective-hacked-and-released-emails-data-of-metprom-group-that-has-worked-on-dozens-of-projects-with-companies-like-arcelormittal/ |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''June 1, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published more than 1,000,000 emails from Vyberi Radio, which was hacked by Anonymous.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-01 |title=Hackers leaked millions of emails of the Russian Vyberi Radio |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/hackers-leaked-millions-of-emails-of-the-russian-vyberi-radio-read-more/ |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''June 3, 2022''', [[Distributed Denial of Secrets|DDoSecrets]] published 1 terabyte of data, which included millions of files including emails, court files, client data, classified data, photographs, videos, payment information, and more from Rustam Kurmaev and Partners (RKPLaw), which was hacked by Anonymous actors DepaixPorteur and B00daMooda.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-03 |title=RKPLaw hacked by anonymous collective and 1 TB data released |url=https://www.thetechoutlook.com/news/technology/security/rkplaw-hacked-by-anonymous-collective-and-1-tb-data-released/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=The Tech Outlook |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-03 |title=Operation Russia continues, albeit much more slowly than last month, RKPLaw, Vyberi Radio, and Metprom Group are the last victims. |url=https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/131933/hacktivism/anonymous-operation-russia-100-days.html |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=Security Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-03 |title=Anonymous Hacktivists Leak 1TB of Top Russian Law Firm Data |url=https://www.hackread.com/anonymous-hacktivists-leak-1tb-russia-law-firm-data/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=HackRead |language=en-US}}</ref>

On '''September 1, 2022''', Russian taxi service [[Yandex Taxi]] was hacked which sent dozens of cars to a location resulting in a traffic jam that lasted up to three hours. Anonymous claimed responsibility for the hack shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Papadopoulos |first1=Loukia |title=A hacker attacked Yandex Taxi and sent dozens of cars to the same location |url=https://interestingengineering.com/culture/hacker-attacked-yandex-taxi-moscow |website=interestingengineering.com |access-date=4 September 2022 |date=2 September 2022}}</ref> At the same time the collective hacked the United Nations Event Proposal Tool website to post flags such as that of Taiwan and its pro-independence movement, [[Kosovo]], [[Belarusian opposition]], [[Russian opposition]], [[Green Ukraine]], alongside photo depicting [[Yuri Gagarin]] as a clown and six pages of manifesto text which reportedly emphasized that [[Yuri Gagarin]] had ejected from his capsule before it landed and should not qualify as the first man in space, and called for the establishment of a 30-kilometer demilitarized zone around the [[Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant]]. The defacement ends with closing comments by Anonymous such as calls for American citizens to "vote wisely" in the [[2022 United States Senate elections]] and [[2022 United States House of Representatives elections]] to avoid going down "Russia's path."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous posts Taiwan independence flag on UN website |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4648504 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=8 September 2022}}</ref> Previously Anonymous hacked a Chinese real estate website and reportedly pointed out that the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Vostok 1]] crewed space mission fell afoul of the stipulation within Section 8, paragraph 2.15, item b of the [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale|Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)]] sporting code which stated that a flight is deemed to be uncompleted if "any member of the crew definitively leaves the spacecraft during flight", as its pilot [[Yuri Gagarin]] had ejected from his capsule before it landed. From that, they reportedly said that America's [[Alan Shepard]] and [[John Glenn]], who were both inside their capsules when they splashed down, should be considered as first humans in space. Regarding the technicality, although there are pragmatist arguments which posited that Alan Shepard and John Glenn should be considered as first person to legally complete a spaceflight mission and the first to actually complete an orbit around Earth respectively,<ref>{{cite web |title=Gagarin's Falsified Flight Record |url=https://www.seeker.com/gagarins-falsified-flight-record-1765739082.html |website=Seeker |access-date=23 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Garmon |first1=Jay |title=Geek Trivia: A leap of fakes |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/geek-trivia-a-leap-of-fakes/ |website=TechRepublic |access-date=8 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Burgess |first1=Colin |title=The first Soviet cosmonaut team : their lives, legacy, and historical impact |date=2009 |publisher=Springer |location=Berlin |isbn=978-0387848235 |page=xxiii}}</ref> the [[National Air and Space Museum]] reported that the FAI reworked its guidelines by emphasizing the launch, orbiting, and safe return of the human over the method in which the landing took place to enable Gagarin to receive the record for the first person in space, along with other claimed records specifically that of duration in orbital flight&mdash;108 minutes, greatest altitude in earth orbital flight by a single person spacecraft (which remains standing as of August 2022)&mdash;{{convert|327|km|mi}},<ref>{{cite web |title=Yuri Alexeevitch Gagarine (URS) (9327) {{!}} World Air Sports Federation |url=https://www.fai.org/record/9327 |website=www.fai.org |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826190002/https://www.fai.org/record/9327 |archive-date=26 August 2022 |language=en |date=10 October 2017}}</ref> and the greatest mass lifted in earth orbital flight&mdash;{{convert|4725|kg|lb|}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Everington |first1=Keoni |title=Anonymous hacks Chinese real estate site in revenge for National Taiwan University defacement {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2022-08-23 19:10:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4635385 |website=Taiwan News |access-date=8 September 2022 |date=23 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Space Marks Accorded To Gagarin and Shepard |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/07/23/118919502.html?pageNumber=35 |website=The New York Times |page=35 |date=23 July 1961}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-22 |title='Let's go!' – FAI celebrates 60th Anniversary of Gagarin’s space flight |url=https://www.fai.org/news/60th-anniversary-gagarin-space-flight |access-date=2022-08-24 |website=[[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}'''Russo-Ukrainian War'''
* [[Ukraine]]
* [[Russia]]
* [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]]
* [[Russo-Ukrainian War]]
* [[2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis]]

'''Cyberwar'''
* [[Cyberwarfare]]
* [[Fourth-generation warfare]]
* [[Information warfare]]
* [[Internet security]]
* [[2022 Ukraine cyberattacks]]

{{col-2}}
{{Portal|Internet|Politics|Society
}}
'''Activism'''
* [[Electronic civil disobedience]]
* [[Leaderless resistance]]
* [[Streisand effect]]

'''Other related articles'''
* [[Anti-mask laws]]
* [[Derp (hacker group)]]
* [[LulzRaft]]
* [[Securax]]
* [[RedHack]]
* ''[[We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists]]''
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

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