US indicts Russians alleged to be at center of major cybercrime network
U.S. Charges Russian Nationals Linked to Major Cybercrime Network
US indicts Russians alleged to be at - The U.S. Justice Department revealed the indictment of three Russian nationals on Tuesday, accusing them of orchestrating a cybercrime operation that allegedly disrupted hospitals, educational institutions, and financial systems across the country, resulting in over $62 million in losses. The charges focus on a critical service within the cybercrime ecosystem: bulletproof hosting, which provides hackers with secure digital infrastructure and shields them from legal repercussions.
The Indicted Individuals
Two Russian men, Aleksandr Volosovik and Kirill Zatolokin, are accused of running a bulletproof hosting provider from a corporate hub in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city. A third individual, Yulia Pankova, faces charges in a criminal conspiracy. The indictment includes allegations of wire fraud and money laundering, with the Justice Department stating that the Russia-based company, Media Land, has supported multiple criminal groups and impacted dozens of victims.
Media Land, established in 2015, operates from a semi-industrial district in St. Petersburg. The U.S. State Department has offered a $10 million reward for information related to the company and its executives. CNN has sought statements from Media Land via its email address. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Secret Service, have been tracking these individuals for years, with the U.S. Treasury sanctioning them last year and releasing a photo of Zatolokin wearing a Media Land shirt while holding a weapon.
Law Enforcement Efforts and Cybercrime Trends
"To this day, they are likely still shielding criminal activity," said Brett Leatherman, assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division, referring to Media Land’s role.
Leatherman noted that the FBI is monitoring whether the focus on Media Land pushes cybercriminals toward alternative hosting services. "We’re looking for that now — to understand where those shifts may be and what opportunities are available to us in law enforcement and the intelligence community to target those," he added. Security experts like Michael DeBolt of Intel471 described bulletproof hosting as "fuel to the cybercrime underground," emphasizing its role in enabling activities such as malware deployment, ransomware attacks, and the storage of stolen data.
Western nations have ramped up actions against Russian-linked cyber threats. The British government and European Union recently accused the Russian FSB of attempting to breach the Polish power grid in 2023, potentially affecting half a million people. Meanwhile, Dutch intelligence reported that Russian state-backed hackers systematically infiltrated video surveillance systems in Europe to monitor military supply routes to Ukraine. These incidents follow an initial decline in Russian cyber operations after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with officials noting a recent surge in U.S.-targeted attacks.
Cybercrime groups have also adapted tactics, such as hiring individuals to insert USB drives into major U.S. law firms, as reported by CNN last month. The FBI, along with other agencies, has disrupted ransomware networks, seizing millions in cryptocurrency and arresting high-profile hackers. However, the persistence of Russian-backed operations highlights the evolving challenge for global security efforts.
CNN’s Darya Tarasova contributed to this report.