Ukrainian intelligence carried out a secret operation against Russian authorities in occupied Crimea. Over several days, Ukrainian cyber experts accessed and downloaded 100 terabytes of classified data from Russian-run government servers. After extracting the files, they completely erased the originals, leaving a major gap in Russian digital records.
According to sources from Ukraine’s intelligence community, the operation was conducted by cyber specialists from Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR). It targeted electronic systems used daily by Russian-controlled institutions across Crimea.
Ukrainian Cyber Team Infiltrates Core Government Systems
The multi-day operation focused on the digital backbone of occupied Crimea’s administration. Ukrainian cyber experts broke into critical systems such as “Dialog,” “Delo,” “1C:Document Flow,” “Directum,” and “ATLAS.” These platforms are used for managing legally important documents, financial records, internal government communication, and administrative workflows.
These platforms are not just filing tools—they are the backbone of how Russian-installed institutions operate in occupied Crimea. By breaching them, Ukrainian cyber teams gained a clear view into how policies are made, how resources are allocated, and how sensitive decisions are tracked and shared between agencies.
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The amount of data stolen—100 terabytes—is massive. That’s enough to fill more than 20,000 high-definition movies or store over 25 million songs. It highlights the scale of the operation and how deeply Ukrainian specialists were able to dig into Russian-controlled systems.
Reports state that many of the downloaded files were marked “secret.” The documents contained valuable military information, including maps of Russian bases, details of logistics networks, and classified communication records. These systems also stored internal documents from regional and district governments, ministries, and various departments under Russian control.
After copying all the files, the Ukrainian cyber team deleted everything stored on the original servers. This left Russian authorities without access to their own internal records, causing confusion and disruption in daily operations.
DDoS Attack Disrupts Crimea’s Infrastructure
To support the breach, Ukrainian specialists also launched a large-scale DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack. This cyber method overwhelms systems by flooding them with fake traffic until they shut down. The attack caused widespread outages in Crimea’s information systems and communication networks.
Russian sources acknowledged the disruption but offered little detail. The Russia-controlled Ministry of Information in Crimea issued a short statement claiming that “a massive DDoS attack” had affected major fixed-line communication providers. They added that “some services may be periodically unavailable,” but did not comment on any data theft or system breach.
During the attack, many online services used by government agencies stopped working. Residents also faced issues accessing the internet and other communication tools. Despite the scale of the operation, Russian media provided only brief coverage, avoiding mention of the stolen data or who was responsible.
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Leaked Files Reveal Propaganda and Military Coordination
According to Ukrainian sources, the stolen files contain more than just military logistics. Some of the documents exposed efforts by Russian officials to spread propaganda across Crimea. These included orders related to organizing public events, exhibitions, and school programs aimed at discrediting Ukraine and promoting pro-Kremlin narratives.
Intelligence findings also point to close cooperation between the Russian Foreign Ministry’s office in Simferopol and local administrations. These communications reportedly show how propaganda instructions from Moscow are passed to ministries and then distributed to schools and universities for public messaging.
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Military experts familiar with the data say that even civilian offices in Crimea issued secret orders related to territorial defense. These communications, they say, offer critical insight into how Russian military and civilian structures operate together in occupied Crimea.
The cyberattack has given Ukrainian intelligence access to high-value materials that could reshape understanding of Russia’s presence and operations in Crimea. It marks one of the most significant data breaches of the conflict to date.