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by Pavel Polityuk
KIEV, Jan 15 (Reuters) – Kiev is convinced that a group of hackers linked to the Belarusian secret service carried out a cyberattack that hit Ukrainian government websites this week and used malware similar to that used by a group linked to the services. Russian secrets, said a senior Ukrainian security service official.
Serhiy Demedyuk, deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, told Reuters in writing that Ukraine blamed Friday’s attack – which disrupted government sites with threatening messages – on a group known as of “UNC1151” and that it was a cover for more destructive behind-the-scenes actions whose “consequences will be felt in the near future”.
This is the first detailed analysis by Kiev of the presumed culprits of the computer attack which hit a dozen sites. Authorities said Friday that Russia was likely involved, without further details.
Belarus is a close ally of Moscow.
This cyberattack comes as Russia has amassed troops near the borders with Ukraine, and Kiev and Washington fear that Russia is preparing a new military assault against Ukraine.
Russia said these fears were “unfounded”.
The office of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko did not immediately respond to a request for comment, as did the Russian Foreign Minister. The latter has previously denied any involvement in cyberattacks. (With Andrey Ostroukh Moscow, Gilles Guillaume for the French version)
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