Six computer hackers, all residents and nationals of the Russian Federation, have been charged in an indictment with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy. Five of the defendants were officers in Unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The sixth individual was a civilian already under indictment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and is now also charged with wire fraud conspiracy. The defendants are alleged to have committed cyber attacks in advance of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and also targeted 26 NATO countries.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office made the announcement at a press conference in Baltimore.