Berlin, September 09, 2024, The Europe Today: Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, issued a warning on Monday, identifying a Russian military intelligence group, GRU Unit 29155, as responsible for multiple cyberattacks targeting NATO and EU countries. The cybercrime group has been linked to operations of espionage, sabotage, and reputational damage since 2020, according to findings by the BfV, in cooperation with U.S. intelligence and international partners.
The BfV revealed that Unit 29155, also known as Cadet Blizzard or Ember Bear, was behind the WhisperGate malware attacks targeting Ukraine in January 2022, a month before Russia launched its invasion. The unit’s cyberattacks have been aimed at disrupting networks and stealing sensitive information from global targets.
The warning follows accusations by Berlin that Moscow was involved in a series of cyberattacks against Germany’s ruling Social Democrats (SPD) and several German companies in the IT, logistics, and aerospace industries. These attacks reportedly led to the theft and publication of confidential data.
The same GRU unit is also suspected of involvement in the 2018 poisonings of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the United Kingdom, further linking Unit 29155 to coordinated international sabotage efforts.
Germany’s intelligence agencies, along with international partners, continue to monitor the growing cyber threat posed by Russian military intelligence and have called for increased vigilance across NATO and EU member states.
