According to reports, China had launched cyberattacks on Ukraine before the Russian invasion. Reports claim the cyberattacks were targeted at Ukraine’s military and nuclear targets. The attacks were reportedly directed against Ukraine’s defence ministry with 600 websites being targeted.
According to the Times of London, citing Ukraine’s security service, other institutions such as the national bank and railway network were also targeted in China’s hacking attempt. The Chinese cyberattacks seemed to have begun before the Winter Olympics in Beijing and peaked on February 23, one day before the invasion. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a ‘special military action’ against Ukraine.
President Biden has warned China not to aid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During a phone call with President Xi, Biden indicated that if China supported Russia during the conflict, there would be ‘consequences’. China has maintained a neutral stance in the Ukraine conflict, advocating for ‘control’ and de-escalation. Before the invasion, Ukraine blamed Russia for a series of cyberattacks on its government websites. President Biden cautioned US corporations last month to defend themselves against probable Russian cyberattacks, as the Kremlin reacted angrily to the US president’s charges.
Over a month before the invasion, Ukraine reported that Russian hackers had taken down 70 government websites, including one that housed personal immunization data and certificates. Ukrainian officials acted promptly to repair the sites. Last year, Ukraine’s security service claimed to have neutralized over 1,000 cyberattacks. Oleg Syromolotov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, termed it ‘absurd’ and said it was an attempt to spread ‘dangerous needless charges’.
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