Estonia names Russia’s military intelligence in a first-ever attribution of cyberattacks

On 5 September 2024, Estonia attributed the 2020 cyberattacks against three Estonian ministries and national IT infrastructure to Unit 29155 of Russia's military intelligence (GRU). This is the first public attribution by Estonia directly naming Russia as the perpetrator state. The Prosecutor's Office has sought the arrest of three GRU officers internationally based on an arrest warrant issued by the Harju County Court. Estonia's security agencies also supported a related US investigation into more extensive cyberattacks. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna condemned the malicious cyber activity as premeditated and aimed at damaging national systems and security. Estonia emphasized its commitment to cooperate with international partners to reinforce cybersecurity and uphold international law in cyberspace. Tanel Sepp, Director General of the Cyber Diplomacy Department, highlighted the difficulty of attribution in cyberspace but stressed the clarity and importance of this action. The attribution followed a national and international investigation involving ten countries. The joint press statement was issued by Estonia's Prosecutor's Office, Internal Security Service, and Police and Border Guard Board, supplemented by a US Department of Justice statement charging five Russian GRU officers and one civilian in related cyber operations.