Moscow is responsible for "destructive and disruptive" cyberattacks on a Danish water company in 2024 and a series of DDoS attacks that overloaded Danish websites ahead of regional and local elections last month. This is stated in a statement by the Danish Military Intelligence Service, reports UNN with reference to AP.
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The Danish water company stated that the attack led to burst pipes, temporarily leaving homes without water.
Jan Hansen, head of the Tureby-Alkestrup water company, located southwest of Copenhagen, said he advised other companies not to cut corners on cybersecurity and to take out cyber insurance. The attack occurred, he said, because the water company switched to cheaper cybersecurity, which turned out to be less reliable than before.
Danish intelligence stated that the attacks are part of Russia's "hybrid warfare" against the West and an attempt to create instability. According to them, Moscow's cyberattacks are part of a broader campaign to undermine and punish countries that support Ukraine. Russian hackers have previously been accused of carrying out hacks of other water facilities in Europe, including a Norwegian dam, where, according to Norwegian authorities, hackers opened sluice gates to allow water to flow out.
"This shows that there are forces that can paralyze important parts of our society," he said at a press conference on Thursday, as reported by Danish broadcaster DR.
Schack Pedersen added that the cyberattacks show that Denmark is not sufficiently prepared for such situations, DR reported.
Addendum
According to the publication, these attacks are among a growing number of incidents that Western officials say are part of a campaign of sabotage and destabilization across Europe orchestrated by Russia. The Associated Press database has documented 147 incidents, including two reported by Denmark this week.
Not all incidents become public, and it sometimes takes officials months to establish a link to Moscow. While officials say the campaign, which unfolded after President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, aims to deprive Kyiv of support, they believe Moscow is also trying to expose Europe's weaknesses and divert law enforcement resources.
The Danish agency stated that the pro-Russian group Z-Pentest carried out a "destructive attack" on the water company in 2024, and that a separate group, NoName057(16), is responsible for the cyberattack on Danish websites ahead of the recent elections. According to the agency, both groups have ties to the Russian state.
"The Russian state uses both groups as tools in its hybrid war against the West. The goal is to create instability in targeted countries and punish those who support Ukraine," the statement said. According to DR, NoName057(16) operated in November with the aim of disrupting the elections.
The Tureby-Alkestrup water station serves several villages approximately 35 kilometers south of Copenhagen. According to the station, hackers changed the water pressure, causing a pipe to burst. About 50 homes were left without water for approximately seven hours, and about 450 homes for an hour.
Meanwhile, in Germany on December 12, authorities summoned the Russian ambassador in Berlin after the Foreign Ministry accused Moscow of sabotage, cyberattacks, and election interference.
This includes a cyberattack on the German air traffic control system in 2024, said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Giese.