US confirms military hackers have conducted cyber operations in support of Ukraine

June 4, 2022

Cyber Command, the US military’s hacking unit, has conducted offensive cyber operations in support of Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s invasion, the head of the command has confirmed.

The disclosure underscores how important projecting power in cyberspace — in support of Ukraine’s defenses and to potentially deter Russia from conducting cyberattacks against US infrastructure — has been to the Biden administration as it continues to avoid directly engaging Russia in a shooting war.

“We’ve conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum; offensive, defensive, [and] information operations,” General Paul Nakasone said in an interview with Sky News. A spokesperson for the command did not dispute the accuracy of the article but declined to elaborate on what the command’s operations in Ukraine have entailed.

Nakasone’s comments, and the White House’s response to them, suggest that cyberspace is a domain in which the Biden administration feels comfortable countering Russia without fear of escalation.

“We don’t see it as such,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday when asked at a news conference whether Cyber Command’s actions contradicted Biden’s pledge.

Officials from Biden on down have for months warned about the threat of retaliatory Russian cyberattacks against US infrastructure after the US and its allies imposed sweeping sanctions on the Kremlin over its war in Ukraine.

While analysts have proffered a range of theories, including improvements in US defenses, for why such a hack hasn’t apparently happened yet, US officials tell CNN that Russian fear of escalation in cyberspace could be one factor.

For one, Moscow may not want to risk retaliatory US cyberattacks that could hinder Russian military operations, a senior US defense intelligence official told CNN.

The Russians have already had enough problems in Ukraine executing military operations, “I think that adding any kind of potential for US cyber into that mix … [is] probably factoring into their decision calculus,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly about a sensitive national security issue.