Russia’s Doxing Campaign in Ukraine
Recent reports have surfaced indicating that Russia is leveraging Slovakian technical services to disseminate sensitive personal information about members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Ján Kuciak Investigative Center and Aktuality have highlighted that confidential data relating to Ukrainian troops is being published on websites controlled by Moscow. This tactic, framed as part of ‘information and psychological warfare,’ aims to further escalate the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
In addition to military personnel details, these sites reveal private information about the soldiers’ relatives and various activists in Ukraine. This practice, commonly referred to as ‘doxing,’ is notorious for inciting aggression and intimidation online.
Understanding Doxing
Doxing is characterized as a form of online stalking where perpetrators expose personal information about individuals, including addresses, phone numbers, and workplaces. This tactic often mobilizes online communities to harass and intimidate the targeted victims. According to Aktuality, these Russian-operated websites extend their reach beyond Ukraine, also targeting public figures from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
The implications of such actions are severe, reflecting broader trends in digital harassment and psychological warfare that exploit technology to threaten personal safety and reputations.
StormWall: The Technical Partner
A key player identified in this doxing initiative is StormWall, a commercial hosting firm based in Bratislava. Despite its Slovakian registration, the company is reportedly owned by Russian nationals. StormWall is known to support NewsFront, a news agency based in Crimea that the U.S. government has designated as a disinformation outlet focused on promoting Russia’s interests in Ukraine.
Since the onset of the conflict, NewsFront has been sanctioned due to its role in spreading propaganda supporting Russian-backed forces. This agency has been registered in Bratislava since 2017, further entrenching its activities in the region.
StormWall’s Cybersecurity Claims
The Ján Kuciak Investigative Center has pointed out that StormWall presents itself as an international company offering tailored cybersecurity solutions. However, scrutiny reveals interesting anomalies: the company operates two nearly identical web addresses that differ in significant ways.
StormWall claims to maintain technology centers across several countries, including the United States, Germany, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. These claims raise questions about the company’s operational legitimacy given its ties to Russian ownership.
