23,000 euros. This is how much Ukrainian hacktivist collective ‘Cyber Resistance’ spent on sex toys after hacking a Russian blogger’s AliExpress account in late March, reports Numerama. Mikhail Luchin, a propagandist known for relaying “fake news” from the Ukrainian front, used this account to order and supply drones to the Russian military.
“Now, instead of drones, he will have to send trucks full of vibrators, strap-ons and other things that are very valuable to the Russian people,” the Ukrainian hackers said on their Telegram channel. Screenshots attesting to these purchases were also shared. For his part, Mikhail Luchin admitted to having been hacked, ensuring that a large part of the money had been recovered.
The drone, an essential piece of equipment
To succeed in this hack, the members of the collective would have seized the identifiers and bank data of the Russian influencer. The method used was not detailed. This crazy embezzlement comes as the Russian and Ukrainian armies have struggled to source drones since market leader DJI banned the sale of its devices in the two warring countries, says Numerama.
In addition to the comical aspect of this order, it is therefore a blow for the Russian military, who rely heavily on this aid. Drones are essential on the front line, where they are used for multiple missions. This essential equipment makes it possible in particular to provide real-time information to the forces involved.