The US authorities have charged Amin Timovich Stigal, a 22-year-old Russian citizen, with conspiracy to hack into and destroy computer systems and data.

In co-operation with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) of the Russian Federation Stigal orchestrated a sophisticated destructive cyber campaign targeting Ukrainian government systems ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the authorities allege.

According to court documents, Stigal and his co-conspirators used the services of a US-based company to distribute the WhisperGate data-wiping malware to dozens of Ukrainian government entities' computer systems.

These attacks, initiated in January 2022, were intended to disrupt systems and destroy the data. The targets included civilian government departments with no direct military or defense-related roles.

On January 13, 2022, multiple Ukrainian government networks were compromised, including the Ministry of International Affairs, the State Treasury, the Judiciary Administration, the State Portal for Digital Services, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the Ministry of Energy, the Accounting Chamber for Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, the State Forestry Agency, and the Motor Insurance Bureau.

The attackers deployed the WhisperGate malware, masquerading as ransomware. In addition to infecting the target networks, the attackers exfiltrated sensitive data, including patient health records, and defaced the websites with a threatening message. The hacked data was then offered for sale on the internet.

The indictment also details an attack in August 2022 on the transportation infrastructure of a Central European country that was supporting Ukraine. It alleges that from August 5, 2021, through February 3, 2022, the same computer infrastructure used in the Ukraine-related attacks was employed to probe the networks of a federal government agency in Maryland, similar to the initial reconnaissance on Ukrainian systems.

If convicted, Stigal faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. In addition, the US State Department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on Stigal's location and alleged cyber crimes.