Anonymous-linked hacker group NB65 claims it hacked Russian Television and Radio

Hacker group Network Battalion 65 or 'NB65’ has claimed on Sunday that it hacked All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, also known as Russian Television and Radio, as the Russia-Ukraine war continues for the fifth week. NB65, linked to hacker group ‘Anonymous’, said that it had retrieved over 870 gigabytes of information from the company and said that the data will be released soon, stated Anonymous TV. It is pertinent to note here that the company’s principal assets are Russia-1, Russia 24, and RTR Planeta TV channels. 

NB65 claimed to hack the All-Russia State Television just days after hacker group 'Anonymous' said that it hacked the Central Bank of Russia on Thursday. Anonymous TV reported that the Anonymous Collective has said that over 35,000 files will be released within 48 hours with secret agreements. Russia’s Central Bank was targeted by the group after Anonymous also targeted the companies that continue to operate in Russia even as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces continue to attack.

Since Putin announced the ‘special’ military operation in Ukraine in late February, Anonymous has breached several services linked to Moscow including the streaming platforms. As the Russia-Ukraine war entered day 33, it is pertinent to note that the conflict has sparked a surge in volunteer hackers to tackle Moscow on the digital frontline. Apart from Anonymous, other such hacker groups include Squad303 and Cyber Partisan who have carried out cyberattacks against Russian targets. 

Anonymous declares ‘electronic war’ on the Kremlin

In view of Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, Anonymous had declared an “electronic war” on the “Kremlin's criminal regime”. The hacker collective claimed to have hacked 2,500 Russian as well as Belarusian government state media and other websites “in support of Ukraine”. On March 18, Anonymous had announced the launch of “unprecedented attacks” on the websites of the Russian government and increased their capacity “at peak times from 500 GB to 1TB” which is “two or three times more powerful than the most serious incidents”. 

On March 16, Anonymous announced that it had hacked into the website of the Russian state corporation for nuclear energy Rosatom. The Russian corporation is believed to be controlling a nuclear power plant in Ukraine which was seized by Moscow. Russia captured Zaporizhzhia and Chernobyl nuclear power plants during its invasion of Ukraine. Anonymous confirmed that they just hacked the government website and not the nuclear plant. They said, “We would never endanger any lives.”

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