Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right). Photo: Associated Press/Dazhi Image (file photo)
Ukraine’s Security Service (СБ України) earlier accused China of launching a cyber attack on Ukrainian military and nuclear facilities on the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Security Service revealed to the British newspaper The Times earlier that attacks on more than 600 websites of the country’s Ministry of Defense and other related units began before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics, and peaked on February 23. , Russia launched a military aggression the next day.
The Ukrainian Security Service alleges that the Chinese attack sought to infiltrate targets ranging from border guards to the National Bank and Railway Administration, aimed at stealing data and exploring ways to shut down or disrupt vital defense and civilian infrastructure.
Cybersecurity experts said the timing appeared to confirm that Moscow had informed Beijing of its intrusion plans. “They don’t seem to care regarding being seen, their goal is to get in and get what they need as quickly as possible,” said Tom Hegel, a senior threat researcher at SentinelOne, a US cybersecurity firm.
U.S. intelligence said information regarding China’s cyberattack on Ukrainian government facilities before the Russian invasion was accurate. The Chinese embassy did not respond.
Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS, University of London, said: “China has a huge number of people engaged in cyber operations. Most of them are affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army, and the People’s Liberation Army is a[中國共產]part of the party. “We all believe that they have the ability to attack the country’s network. They are more involved in getting information than stopping people from working. If they are working in Ukraine, they are supporting the Russians. That means they may be subject to Sanctions.”
“These attacks demonstrate a degree of collusion between Russia and China,” said Sam Cranny-Evans, an intelligence and surveillance expert at the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank.