Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Jun 04, 2025

Russia launched large-scale operations in the cyberspace alongside war

Russia launched large-scale operations in the cyberspace alongside war

Russia's invasion of Ukraine was accompanied by large-scale operations in cyberspace even before it began. And since February 24, Kiev has officially recorded more than 2,000 cyber attacks by Moscow.

But after the Kremlin's initial limited successes, the volume and effectiveness of cyber operations fell away, according to Western experts.

As the war dragged on, Russian hackers were unable to compensate for failures on the battlefield -- not least because of the support Ukraine has received, including in cyberspace.

"One of the things that it [the war] has demonstrated is that when you have a coalition, a group of not only state and non-governmental actors, but also the commercial sector really trying to come together and provide defense in depth -- this war has really shown that there's a lot of power in that kind of coalition," Gavin Wilde, senior fellow in the Technology and International Affairs programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Euronews.

According to Kyiv, Moscow tries to back up almost any military strike with attacks on digital infrastructure.

But according to experts, the effectiveness of the hackers' operations is dependent upon success on the battlefield. Cyberwars alone are not enough.

"Despite talking about it [cyber warfare] for 30 years, this is the first time you've been able to see in real time how cyber contributes to an overall military campaign," Dr Tim Stevens, Senior Lecturer in Global Security at King's College, London, told Euronews. "Yes, it can be useful under certain circumstances, but it's not going to win you a war".


Battle for public opinion


One area where Moscow has spectacularly failed is in the battle for public opinion in the West.

Amid the casualties and destruction caused by Putin's troops and missiles, experts such as Gavin Wilde say the cyber war has receded into the background.


"Certainly technology is very expensive, but brutality is very cheap. And so this war in particular, I think, has reminded us of the central role of humans and the human aspect of warfare," he said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
×