Russian state media hacked on Putin's birthday; Ukrainian source says symbolic 'gift' for him
Cyberattacks
Russian state media company VGTRK was targeted in a massive cyberattack on the day of Russian President Vladimir Putin's 72nd birthday, on Monday (Oct 7). A report by news agency Reuters citing aUkrainian government source said Kyiv's hackers were behind the incident.
The media conglomerate owns and operates the country's main national TV stations.
The website of VGTRK, the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, was not loading early on Monday. Additionally,its Rossiya-24, a rolling 24-hour news channel, was also affected and was not available online.
"503 Service Unavailable. No server is available to handle this request," the error read when Reuters reporters tried to access the livestream.
"Our state media holding, one of the largest, has faced an unprecedented hacker attack on its digital infrastructure," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, saying VGTRK was working to overcome the consequences.
)
Indian man sends explicit text to 14-year-old in UK, gets caught while trying to meet her: VIDEO
)
Iran War Fuels Shipping's Biggest Payday
)
Who is Jin Ze? Chinese TV and short-drama actor passes away at 33, agency confirms
)
'Possible escalation of tension, will lie with US', warns Iran after US strikes
)
'Trap to kill him': Indian man shot dead in US after delivering pizza
)
Prakash Raj extends support to Cockroach Janta Party as they protest in Delhi: 'Cockroaches rocked'
)
Singapore orders social media giants to block anti-Indian posts
)
Musk says India's birth rate has fallen below 'replacement level': What the term means and what official data reveals? | WION Decodes
)
Something big ahead? Lebanese army chief visits Pakistan amid reports of link to US-Iran negotiations
)
Mumbai concert tragedy: 28-year-old man dies after falling ill during live music event at Worli Dome
)
‘Spying among friends’? Pentagon’s SECRET Israel alert revives explosive Snowden claims
)
Trump secretly consulting nuclear experts amid renewed Iran attacks? What report claims
)
Trump turns on former adviser Bolton amid legal turmoil, labels him ‘dishonest’ and ‘bad guy’
)
Teach You a Lesson review: Kim Mu Yeol's k-drama delivers brutal fight against a broken education system
)
Queen Elizabeth's grandson Peter Phillips marries Harriet Sperling; King Charles, William and Kate attend
)
For the first time, Air Force to transport NEET question papers ahead of June 21 exam
)
Trump shares AI-video of himself riding bike in India, lion in jungle: What is it about
)
Who Is Kevin Kunta? Meet Ram Charan’s bodyguard, MMA fighter, who reportedly charges Rs 2–3 lakh per day
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Dhruv Rathee’s scriptwriter, journalist, IIT alumnus: Who are the 3 spokespersons announced by CJP?
)
Indians on H-1B visas exit Texas and its housing boom is dying. Other states could see similar decline
)
Old praise, new problems: Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das's 9-year-old tweet faces scrutiny
)
Who is Sriram Krishnan? Trump's Indian-origin AI advisor to exit White House end of June
)
Indian mangoes make inroads into the US market with Seattle event
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
From Phil Foden to Joao Pedro, 5 star footballers missing FIFA World Cup 2026
)
Wonderful World | A once-in-a-century celestial event: The 6-minute solar eclipse that will turn day into night
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How often should you restart your phone? Samsung & NSA have different answers
)
NASA satellite spots strongest sign of Super El Nino, confirming all predictions - What to expect?
)
'Cockroach, memes & reels': Why Indian GenZ's AI knowledge gap is at least 40 years behind from rest of the world
)
'Future doesn't look bright': Indian GenZ was busy debating Cockroach Janta Party, AI quietly took their jobs in last 1 month
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
‘Headlight drain’: Does driving with your daytime lights on cost you extra fuel?
)
WION Decodes | India's fertility rate is falling: What does it mean for the economy and society?
"Specialists are working to find out all the circumstances, to understand where the traces left behind by those who organised this hacker attack on the critical infrastructure object lead," Peskov added.
The attack on Russian state media on the day of Putin's birthday prompted speculations about the motives behind the assault.
According to Reuters,an unnamedgovernment source from Ukraine claimed responsibility on behalf of Ukrainian hackers, stating that the attack was a symbolic birthday "gift" to the Russian president.
Watch |Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian Dragon Drone Obliterates Russian Tank In Fiery Strike
Moreover, the attack not only affected external broadcasts but also crippled VGTRK's internal systems, including its telephoneand internet services, with reports indicating that even backup servers were wiped, according to the Russian news outlet Gazeta.ru.
Following the attack, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova, announced that Moscow would raise the issue in international forums, including UNESCO, which promotes freedom of speech.
She said that Russian media had long since become targets for what she called "the collective West" and said what had happened was part of a "hybrid war".
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos
(With inputs from agencies)
