During the cyber attack, a hacker compromised radio and TV broadcasts and transmitted a fabricated message from President Vladimir Putin.
Several regions in Russia fell victim to a sophisticated cyber attack, as yet unidentified hackers managed to compromise radio and TV broadcasts, transmitting a fabricated message from President Vladimir Putin. The false announcement declared the imposition of martial law in response to a purported large-scale incursion by Ukraine.
The timing of the attack added to the existing tension surrounding the possibility of Ukraine launching an offensive, leaving the Russian military, authorities, and citizens on edge. Exploiting this atmosphere of uncertainty, the hackers successfully broadcasted the counterfeit presidential address in Rostov, Belgorod, and Voronezh, which are directly adjacent to Ukraine.
Initially, reports suggested that only radio messages were affected. However, subsequent investigations and recordings revealed that the fraudulent messages were also displayed on television screens. Ukraine’s NEXTA news outlet shared a couple of videos on Twitter, shedding light on the manipulated broadcasts.
The fabricated speech falsely promised a general mobilization in Ukraine’s border regions, further intensifying the already tense situation.
Fake “Putin’s urgent appeal” was broadcast on radio and television in the border regions
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 5, 2023
With the voice of the bunker Fuhrer the hackers announced the martial law in Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, the general mobilization and evacuation deep into the Russian territory. The… pic.twitter.com/gQE0Uo8EcK
In response to the incident, Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, confirmed that at least one radio station had been hacked. However, he unequivocally stated that the president did not deliver such a message and emphasized that the address was entirely fabricated.
Manipulating a person’s voice is a task that has become increasingly feasible with recent technological advancements. However, creating convincing video deepfakes presents a more significant challenge.
Peskov addressed the issue, stating, “There was definitely no . Indeed, there was a hack in some regions. In particular, I know that there was a hack on Mir radio and in some networks. Now all this has already been eliminated, and taken under control. Services are now sorting it out,” as he spoke to the news agency TASS.
While the motive behind the hack remains unknown, the methods employed by the hackers to carry out the attack pose a more intriguing question that currently lacks a definitive answer.