US Government Supporting Ukraine’s Efforts to Counteract Russia’s Cyber Offensive

The Department of State announced that various U.S. government agencies have been mobilized to help ensure Ukrainians’ access to the internet despite continued clashes against invading Russian forces. Americans are also committed to bolstering Ukraine’s cyber defense capabilities amid cyberattacks being waged by Russia as part of its war effort, the Department of State said Tuesday.

The DOS revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been actively supplying Ukrainian national security and law enforcement agencies with information on Russia’s cyber operations. Specifically, U.S. experts have been briefing Ukraine’s defenders on potential or ongoing malicious cyber activity as well as helping them frustrate Russia’s efforts to spread disinformation about the progress of its invasion. The FBI has also been sharing cyber incident response best practices with Ukrainian partners.

Meanwhile, technical experts funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development are providing hands-on support to essential service providers within the Ukrainian government. These efforts seek to identify malware and restore systems after an incident has occurred.

USAID has provided more than 6,000 emergency communications devices, including satellite phones and data terminals, to essential service providers, government officials and critical infrastructure operators in key sectors such as energy and telecommunications.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy is working with Ukrainian authorities on efforts related to further integrating Ukraine’s electrical grid with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity to enhance resilience in the face of ongoing fighting.

The DOS also said that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has exchanged technical information on cybersecurity threats related to Russia’s unprovoked further invasion of Ukraine with key partners, including Ukraine.