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Comment by qwertox | Hacker News Reader

I wonder if this is related to "Ukraine: 'Massive cyber attack' shuts down government websites" [0] [1].

If this was Russia, then they would probably use the REvil "arrests" as a proof that they don't engage in Cyberwarfare, but rather help the world become a better place by cleaning up the Cyberspace.

Edit: TBH, that Twitter video in the other comment looks pretty serious.

[0] https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-says-massive-cyber-attack...

[1] https://therecord.media/hackers-deface-ukrainian-government-...

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I don't think anyone (including the Russians themselves) think this can be used as proof they don't engage in cyberwarfare. That's like saying that because the FBI (or whoever deals with cybercrime in the US) arrested some domestic hacking group on US soil, the NSA doesn't do any offensive hacking in other countries. No one would think that, so why should anyone think that of Russia?

> I don't think anyone (including the Russians themselves) think this can be used as proof they don't engage in cyberwarfare.

This is how Russian propaganda works. Not just Russian, but authoritarian propaganda in general. It doesn't have to be believable.

It allows to divert a discussion, for example if a Russian politician/minister is confronted with the topic of the Ukraine in a press conference or an interviewer, then it would be easy to stop that discussion by responding with these arrests.

The comparison to the NSA isn't that valid, since it is well known that the NSA does this, but I don't think that there would be many persons who would know a single thing the FSB has done in Cyberspace, unlike them being famous for poisoning and throwing people out of windows.

Or they could just want the money...

>Authorities said they seized more than 426 million rubles, $600,000, and €500,000 in cash, along with cryptocurrency wallets, computers, and 20 expensive cars.

I don't understand why something like arresting criminals has to be immediately seen as part of some sinister scheme. What's wrong with "cleaning up the cyberspace" being exactly that?

Because it is know that Russia looks the other way when dealing with russian ransomware gangs (as long as they don't target Russian business) and it is curiously convinient that it happens now?

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