Pro-Ukraine hacktivists take down Aeroflot's digital systems

In July 2025, Russia's national airline, Aeroflot, suffered a significant cyber attack resulting in the cancellation of numerous flights. The hacking group known as Silent Crow, alongside another group named Cyber Partisans, claimed responsibility for the operation, asserting that they had successfully penetrated and disrupted Aeroflot's internal IT infrastructure. This attack reportedly followed a year-long infiltration during which the hackers stole 20 terabytes of data and destroyed around 7,000 servers. The incident raises alarming questions about the security of critical infrastructure in Russia. The hacktivist group Silent Crow, which has positioned itself as a pro-Ukraine collective, made a threatening statement post-attack, declaring, "You are incapable of protecting even your most critical infrastructure." They emphasized that the Russian authorities have been under scrutiny and are vulnerable to cyber threats. The group has been active since late 2024 and initiated its hacking campaign shortly after forming. Notably, this event marks the first collaboration between Silent Crow and Cyber Partisans, a group from Belarus dedicated to fighting against the dictatorial regime in their country. In early January 2025, Silent Crow had already been implicated in high-profile breaches affecting Russia's real estate registry and telecommunications, showcasing the group's growing capabilities and motive to target Russian institutions. Their operations are characterized by a lack of ransom demands, further fueling speculation about their motivations possibly being aligned with Ukrainian interests, although no official comment from Kyiv confirms or denies such support. The Russian government has reacted to this latest cyber attack with concern, describing it as a "worrying" development. A criminal investigation has been initiated by Russia’s prosecutor's office to assess the implications of the attack and the potential threat posed by these hacker groups. Senior Russian lawmaker Anton Gorelkin characterized the event as a “wake-up call” for the country, urging an overhaul of cyber defenses to combat what he referred to as a multi-front war, including the digital domain. As Russia grapples with these security failures, the vulnerability of its cyber infrastructure remains a critical concern, particularly as geopolitical tensions persist in the region.