Russia bans hacker groups Cyberpartizans and Silent Crow as extremist

Russia's Supreme Court designated Cyberpartizans and Silent Crow as extremist organizations on July 21, 2026, citing their cooperation with Ukrainian military forces and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure including Aeroflot, Rosreestr, and Rostelecom. The ruling, delivered in closed session, took immediate effect.

Quick Facts

Supreme Court ruled to designate two hacker groups as extremist organizations
Ban on activities in Russia imposed
Closed court session held
Cyberattack on Aeroflot internal IT infrastructure
Attack on General Radio Frequency Center (GRFC)

Russia's Supreme Court ruled on July 21, 2026, to designate the hacker groups Cyberpartizans and Silent Crow as extremist organizations and ban their activities in the country. The decision followed closed court proceedings and took immediate effect. According to the court's press service, the ruling was based on the groups' alleged cooperation with Ukrainian military forces and their involvement in cyberattacks targeting Russian and Belarusian infrastructure.

Cyberpartizans, according to Russian court findings, is part of a Belarusian informal organization called "Resistance" (Supraciv), whose stated goal is the violent change of Belarus's constitutional order. The court also established links between Cyberpartizans and the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, which Russia describes as a terrorist organization recruiting fighters for operations in Ukraine. Silent Crow is described by Russian authorities as a pro-Ukrainian association of anonymous politically motivated hacker activists engaged in computer crimes against Russian national security. Both groups have previously operated under alternative names; Silent Crow was formerly known as CyberWar and Cyber LegionsUA.

The two groups are reported to cooperate closely and conduct joint cyberattacks. A July 2025 operation attributed to both groups targeted Russia's Aeroflot airline, disrupting its internal IT infrastructure and causing operational chaos at Sheremetyevo Airport. Other attributed attacks include a November 2022 operation against Russia's General Radio Frequency Center (GRFC), which operates under Russia's telecom regulator Roskomnadzor; a January 2025 breach of the Federal Registration Service Rosreestr; and compromise of infrastructure belonging to Rostelecom contractor systems.

The court established that both groups aim to destabilize the political and social situation in Russia and Belarus, seeking to change the governments through unconstitutional means. The case was brought by Russia's Prosecutor General's Office. Independent security researchers have noted the groups operate as professional IT specialists, though verification of state sponsorship claims remains contested in open cybersecurity reporting.

Topics

Politics Technology World Ukraine War

#Russia #Belarus #cyberattack #hacker groups #Ukraine #extremism designation #cybersecurity #critical infrastructure

Entities

Why This Matters

Russia's Supreme Court ruling designates two hacker groups as extremist organizations, effective immediately. This classification affects cybersecurity operations and legal frameworks in Russia: individuals or entities supporting these groups face criminal liability under extremism statutes. The ruling follows attributed cyberattacks on Russian aviation (Aeroflot), telecommunications (Rostelecom), and property registration infrastructure (Rosreestr). Attribution and state sponsorship claims remain contested in independent cybersecurity research; the court's closed-session proceedings prevent public verification of evidence. The designation expands Russia's list of banned organizations and may influence future cyber incident investigations and international cybersecurity policy discussions.

Timeline & Sources

Nov 1, 2022

Wire

Cyberpartizans reportedly attacked General Radio Frequency Center (GRFC)

Jan 1, 2025

Wire

Silent Crow claimed responsibility for breach of Rosreestr database and Rostelecom contractor infrastructure

Jul 1, 2025

Wire

Cyberpartizans and Silent Crow conducted joint cyberattack on Aeroflot internal IT infrastructure, disrupting operations at Sheremetyevo Airport

Jul 21, 2026

Wire

Russia's Supreme Court designated Cyberpartizans and Silent Crow as extremist organizations and banned their activities in Russia