Anonymous claims to have hacked into Russia’s official television and the country’s version of Netflix in an effort to bring the crisis in Ukraine’s reality to light. Anonymous is a decentralized online network of hackers and activists that collaborate to carry out protests, cyberattacks, and internet pranks. Although Anonymous has no leader or central structure – in essence, anybody may join – they are usually recognized by the famous Guy Fawkes masks from the graphic novel and film V for Vendetta. They’ve taken action against a variety of government entities, businesses, military, prominent figures, and websites in the past.
On March 6, a Twitter account linked to the group said that the Russian streaming sites Wink and Ivi, as well as live TV networks Russia 24, Channel One, and Moscow 24, had been hacked to broadcast video from the Ukraine conflict. The hack appears to be an attempt to circumvent Russia’s efforts to keep information about the Ukrainian incursion from reaching its citizens.
This escalating confrontation is becoming an information war as much as a conventional one. In retribution for the social networks blocking access to Russian state-affiliated media such as RT and Sputnik News, Russia has lately banned Facebook and Twitter. In reaction, Russia has blocked the BBC, Voice of America, and Deutsche Welle, among other European and North American news organizations. Meanwhile, the BBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Bloomberg News, CNN, and CBS News have all halted reporting from Russia to safeguard its journalists from a new rule that threatens jail time for anyone who distributes “fake news.”
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the hacking group recently declared a “cyberwar” against the Russian government. On March 1, an Anonymous Twitter account posted, “Anonymous activists have been engaged in a cyber-warfare effort against Putin and his allies.” “As activists, we will not remain silent as Russian soldiers slaughter and murder innocent people defending their nation,” they continued.
Anonymous claims that activists are disseminating the “trollface” meme on Russian military radio as part of this effort. The hacker gang also claims responsibility for modifying Putin’s yacht’s nautical tracking data to read “FCKPTN,” an acronym for “fuck” and “Putin.” It’s not just Anonymous who are becoming foot fighters in the cyberwar between Russia and Ukraine. Some electric car charging stations in Russia have allegedly stopped operating, with a scrolling banner reading: “GLORY TO UKRAINE / GLORY TO THE HEROES / PUTIN IS A DICKHEAD / DEATH TO THE ENEMY.”
