Where is Russia’s cyber blitzkrieg?

Fighting in Ukraine continues but the much-anticipated Russian cyber blitzkrieg hasn’t occurred. Russian forces have failed to deploy devastating cyber attacks in the opening salvo, despite ample opportunity to cripple Ukrainian networks. Where is the dramatic, game-changing cyber war we were promised? Pundits are scrambling for explanations. Spoiler alert: Cyber isn’t a magic wand to wave and gain battlefield superiority. Cyber attacks are rarely decisive on their own, and they don’t exist in a vacuum. Strategic context is critical for unpacking the use of cyber operations, and Russia’s invasion strategy undeniably has shaped and restricted its menu of cyber options.

First, the Kremlin’s goal of regime change in Kyiv means that Russian cyber operations are subject to the “you break it, you buy it” rule. If your plan is to install a puppet government, the last thing you want to do is obliterate Ukraine’s communications networks and other critical infrastructure. Life would be miserable for any regime trying to manage a population with no electricity or water. Now add an extra layer of Ukrainian outrage against a Russian lackey whom they likely would violently oppose. As a result, the Russians have launched limited attacks to temporarily disrupt public services. This has included website vandalism, overloading government servers with traffic, and using malware to wipe data from banking networks.

 
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 Πηγή: aei.org