A Russian hacker group calling themselves “Server Killers” has claimed to be behind three days of ongoing cyber attacks on various online public services in Norway. They further claimed that Norway’s recent renewal of support for Ukraine was behind their attack.
The disruption of service on Norwegian websites including MinID and Altinn began earlier this week, and the state directorate in charge of digital services was still struggling to restore full service on Wednesday. It has involved so-called “denial of service” after the hackers bombarded Norwegian servers with so much false traffic that they stop working for normal users.
Norway’s TV2 reported late Wednesday morning that the Russian hackergroup had claimed on the messaging service Telegram that it was behind the cyber attack. They reportedly declared cyber war on Norway because Norway renewed its security and defense cooperation with Ukraine during the weekend.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had traveled to Kyiv on Sunday along with several other leaders of Nordic and Baltic countries. In doing so they defied Russia’s near-constant bombing of civilian targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, and Støre was among those visiting bombing sites in the Ukrainian capital.
Støre made it clear that the visit alone was meant to mark ongoing support and admiration for how the Ukrainians continue to stand up to Russian military forces after nearly five years of the war Russian President Vladimir Putin launched after an unsuccessful invasion in 2022. After weeks of recent bombings, Støre stressed that his visit and renewal of defense cooperation “was also meant to show support for how the Ukrainian people have been put to the test, especially here in Kyiv.”
Støre noted how it’s been “a quite intense time right now,” with many Russian ballistic missile attacks and hundreds of civilian casualties. Residents have grown accustomed to being awakened by bomb blasts during the night, he noted, and “every day the Ukrainian people are living with the consequences of Russia’s brutal war. We’ve seen an increase of missile- and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, homes and critical infrastructure.”
Støre further noted how civilians are “systematically targeted, while at the same time Ukraine’s fight for freedom, independence and the right to decide its own future continues. That’s why it’s important that Norway continues to stand together with the Ukrainians.”
Støre had arrived in Kyiv on a morning train, as had leaders from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. They all took part in a summit tied to Ukraine’s flag day and met with Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelensky. Norway vowed to continue its support that amounts to NOK 85 billion (USD 8.5 billion) in next year’s state budget.
He and Zelensky formally signed a renewed cooperation agreement on Sunday, with Støre noting that it “made a deep impression to see all the destruction after Russia’s recent wave of attacks on Kyiv. The resistance the Ukrainians show is impressive.” He added that Ukraine faces another “tough winter” ahead, and that Norway was “sending a clear signal that we will continue to help, both civilians and the military.” The Norwegian government’s support for Ukraine has full backing across party lines in Parliament and among a majority of Norwegians themselves.
That seems to have prompted this week’s retaliatory Russian cyber attack on Norway, which follows similar attacks in Denmark and Great Britain. Are Kvistad of Norway’s digital directorate Digdir told state broadcaster NRK Wednesday that “we are still working on limiting the consequences of the attack that’s still going on.” He claimed authorities “had control over the situation” after getting serveral targets up and running again. State police unit Kripos had launched its own investigation into the attack.
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund
