“Estonia has attributed these attacks to members of Unit 29155 of the Russian military intelligence service (GRU),” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Estonia on Thursday accused Russia’s GRU military intelligence of carrying out cyberattacks against Ukraine, NATO and EU countries, including Estonia, since 2020. Three Estonian ministries were the targets of major cyberattacks in 2020. “Estonia attributed the attacks to members of Unit 29155 of the Russian military intelligence service (GRU).”the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“A national and international investigation conducted in ten countries showed that Russia’s goal was to damage national computer systems, obtain sensitive information and strike at our sense of security.”Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said, according to the statement. The Estonian prosecutor’s office said that the GRU unit “acquired cyber capabilities and launched cyber attacks against Ukraine, as well as against NATO and EU member states, including Estonia, since 2020″.
“Demolishing European security”
His identification took place during the joint operation Toy Soldier conducted in cooperation with 14 services from ten states, the prosecutor’s office said. The investigation also identified three officers from unit 29155. According to the prosecutor’s office, they are Yuri Denisov, Nikolai Korchagin and Vitaliy Schevchenko, who, according to the prosecutor’s office, are in Russia and against whom an international arrest warrant has been issued by an Estonian court.
“GRU Military Unit 29155 is responsible for attempted coup, sabotage and diversion operations and assassination attempts in Europe”the prosecutor’s office said, stressing that Moscow’s goal is “to demolish and reshape the European security architecture and the global order”.