How Ukrainian hacktivists tricked Russian pilots’ wives into exposing troops concerned within the Mariupol theatre airstrike

A Ukrainian hacktivist group tricked the wives of Russian pilots into collaborating in a faux calendar challenge. This initiative aimed to disclose the identities of the pilots concerned in a lethal airstrike on a theatre in Mariupol, the place civilians sought shelter. Members of the volunteer-based worldwide intelligence neighborhood, InformNapalm, efficiently persuaded a number of wives to pose in entrance of a Russian fighter jet, sporting their husbands’ medals.

The Scheme Behind the Photoshoot

InformNapalm’s deception was a part of a broader effort to establish members of the Russian regiment liable for the 2022 bombing of the Mariupol theatre. Based on the group, Sergey Atroshchenko is the commander of the 960th Assault Aviation Regiment, which carried out the airstrike. The assault resulted in vital civilian casualties.

To hold out their plan, InformNapalm hacked Atroshchenko’s e-mail and accessed his private info. A member of the group then contacted his spouse, Lilia Atroshchenko, pretending to be a colleague of her husband. They satisfied her {that a} photoshoot with the wives of the unit was meant to spice up the morale of the Russian pilots preventing in Ukraine.

Outcomes of the Operation

Lilia Atroshchenko agreed to prepare the photoshoot, believing it was a morale-boosting initiative. The ensuing pictures confirmed a bunch of wives of their husbands’ uniforms and adorned with marketing campaign medals. This allowed InformNapalm to collect essential info on the Russian pilots concerned.

InformNapalm later shared their findings with investigators on the Worldwide Felony Courtroom in The Hague. The group’s actions spotlight the continued cyber resistance efforts amidst the battle between Ukraine and Russia.