Pro-Ukrainian Cyberattack Grounds Aeroflot Flights Amid Ongoing Conflict

Aeroflot's flight cancellations reflect the escalating tactics employed by Ukraine and its supporters as they seek to undermine everyday life in Russia during the ongoing conflict.

Aeroflot, Russia's prominent airline, announced the cancellation of over 50 round-trip flights on Monday, blaming a failure in its information systems following a bold claim of a cyberattack from a pro-Ukrainian hacking group. The incident has prompted Russian prosecutors to confirm the attack's authenticity and launch a criminal investigation into the incident. The Kremlin expressed its concern, calling the situation “worrying.”

In recent months, Ukraine and its ally groups have intensified efforts to disrupt normalcy in Russia. Targeted drone assaults have wreaked havoc around Russian airports as they coincide with the peak vacation season, resulting in frequent airport closures and major flight cancellations, sending ripples of chaos through thousands of travelers across major Russian cities.

According to Aeroflot, 56 out of 260 scheduled round-trip flights from Sheremetyevo International Airport, located near Moscow, were canceled. Most flights were intended for domestic routes, though some international ones were also affected. The airline additionally reported issues with ticket refunds due to the disruption in its information systems, and personal account access on Aeroflot's website remains largely unavailable as of Monday night.

This alarming pattern of disruption isn’t new. Just last week, over 50 trains were delayed in central Russia after a drone attack targeted a crucial station. Similarly, drone attacks in the resort town of Sochi on the Black Sea claimed two lives and forced hotels to evacuate guests, snowballing the chaos further.

Some analysts interpret these actions as part of a coordinated campaign targeting the heart of Russian life. Valery Shiryaev, a Russian independent war analyst, suggested that the timing of these attacks, coinciding with the highly anticipated summer holiday season, illustrates a methodical plan to instill unease in the Russian populace.

Since commencing a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has applied relentless drone assaults against Ukraine. Despite the recent onset of ceasefire negotiations, tensions have escalated into further confrontations.

The hacking group Silent Crow claimed responsibility for the Aeroflot assault, collaborating with Belarusian group Cyber Partisans. They described their operation as a comprehensive and persistent endeavor that succeeded in penetrating deeply into Aeroflot's systems. Cyber Partisans echoed their commitment to continue cyber operations as long as the Russian government poses a threat to Belarus and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Statements made by both hacking groups remain unverified, while a Russian communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, asserted that client and employee data at Aeroflot had not been compromised. Earlier this year, Silent Crow claimed responsibility for a series of attacks targeting various Russian entities, including a real estate database and a state telecommunications company.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov acknowledged that hacking continues to be a recognized threat facing major corporations in Russia, as the ongoing cyber warfare plays a pivotal role in the broader conflict surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war.