Amin Timovich Stigal, a 22-year-old Russian citizen, has been indicted in absentia for allegedly attempting to hack and disrupt computer systems of several Ukrainian governmental institutions.
The charges were detailed in a statement released on the official website of the US Department of Justice.
According to the statement, a grand jury in Maryland has charged Amin Timovich Stigal with conspiring with Russian military intelligence to carry out cyberattacks.
Initially targeting non-military or defense-related systems of the Ukrainian government before the conflict in Ukraine escalated, subsequent targets reportedly included computer systems in countries supporting Kyiv, including the United States.
Targets and Allegations
The US Department of Justice specified that the alleged cyber intrusions affected servers of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Energy, Treasury, and the Accounting Chamber.
Stigal remains at large, facing a potential prison sentence of up to five years if convicted of the charges.
International Cybersecurity Tensions
The indictment comes amid heightened tensions over cybersecurity between Russia and Ukraine.
Earlier in April, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Ukraine of daily cyberattacks on Russian systems, some of which has allegedly been supported by Western intelligence services.
