The US Department of Justice has indicted a 22-year-old Russian for allegedly attacking Ukrainian government computers and destroying critical infrastructure systems in the so-called “WhisperGate” wiper attack that preceded Russia’s illegal invasion of the European nation.
If convicted, Amin Timovich Stigal faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. In addition to the indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Maryland on Tuesday, the US State Department today offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on Stigal’s location and alleged cyber crimes.
“As alleged, the defendant conspired with Russian military intelligence on the eve of Russia’s unjust and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine to launch cyber attacks targeting the Ukrainian government and later targeting its allies, including the United States,” US attorney general Merrick Garland declared in a statement.
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