"Pro-Ukraine hackers blamed as Aeroflot cancels flights due to cyber-attack"

The Russian airline Aeroflot canceled numerous flights on Monday following claims by a pro-Ukraine hacking group that it had carried out a disruptive cyberattack.

The airline did not elaborate on the cause or expected resolution time, but departure screens at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport showed widespread cancellations during a peak travel period.

Officials described the situation as concerning, with authorities confirming a cyberattack as the cause and initiating an investigation.

A message attributed to a group named Silent Crow stated it conducted the breach alongside Belarusian hackers Cyber Partisans, framing it as a response to the conflict in Ukraine.

“Glory to Ukraine! Long live Belarus!” read the statement, which CuriosityNews could not immediately verify.

Silent Crow has previously claimed attacks this year on Russian entities, including a real estate database, a telecoms provider, a major insurer, and government IT systems, leading to significant data leaks in some cases.

“Reports circulating publicly are quite serious. Cyber threats remain a challenge for all major service providers,” a Kremlin representative stated, adding that further details would be sought.

Aeroflot, the transport ministry, and aviation authorities did not immediately address the hacking allegations.

The airline reported an information system failure, leading to over 50 cancellations—mostly domestic but also affecting flights to Minsk and Yerevan—with at least 10 additional delays.

“Efforts are underway to limit disruptions and restore normal operations,” the company said.

The Silent Crow statement alleged the attack resulted from a year-long infiltration of Aeroflot’s network, disabling thousands of servers and compromising employee devices. No evidence was provided.

It warned of plans to release passenger data from the airline.

Since the start of Russia's military actions in Ukraine, flight delays have become frequent, though often due to security concerns rather than cyber incidents.

Frustrated passengers criticized the airline on social platforms for inadequate communication.

One traveler posted, “Stranded at Volgograd airport since 3:30!!! Flight postponed three times!!! Now set for around 14:50!!!”