Russia: James Peddell discusses cyber attacks

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Speaking to Express.co.uk, James Peddell, now director of Black Jellyfish consultants, said Russia use cyber attacks for an array of reasons, ranging from intelligence gathering to inflicting damage on their adversaries. He explained that the tactics offer another attack mechanism for Russia, but stressed that while Russia are not necessarily more advanced or capable of launching a cyber attack than the West, they instead play by different principles of war and smash up ethics in the process.

He said: “The difference is that they are willing to do it at an earlier stage than we are, based upon their principles of war. They are willing to do things where we might not think it ethical at a certain stage – they are taking risks.”

Mr Peddell noted how one method of cyber attacks is information and intelligence gathering where Russia use cyber to “extract information about the enemy”.

He explained how recent attacks have focused around extrating information about U.S. technology, military systems and military infrastructure.

But the technology expert noted that the West also does the same, stressing that “we have systems trying to extract intelligence from around the world”.

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Another way Russians use of cyber attacks is “trying to manipulate and influence people using information systems” which he said “the Russians seem to be very good at”.

He explained this was seen when the Russians allegedly influenced the 2016 US election, but Mr Peddell noted “this isn’t high technology” insisting instead “this is using technology in a different way” to the Western world.

He added how beyond these forms of cyber attacks are the “blurred lines of starting to carry out offensive operations” of which one way to deploy them can be “attacking systems, companies or countries infrastructure”.

The expert said: “That could be taking down websites, in the US you have seen power stations coming offline because of an interruption. That is not really any different to what the West has been charged with doing in Iran in their nuclear capabilities.”

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He concluded: “It comes down to who is willing to carry out that kind of activity and at what stage, and the Russians have shown they are willing to do it earlier.”

On Thursday Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine from land, sea, after Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the orders for a dawn onslaught as he embarked on a baseless mission of “de-militarisation” of Ukraine.

Heavy bombardments rained down on Kiev and the country’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, alongside other locations.

Following the aerial bombardments, troops poured in from the north, east, and south as the scale of the attack was realised but Ukrainian troops fought back and said they had inflicted heavy casualties on the Russians. 

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Reports from Saturday suggest heavy resistance being thrown up by both the Ukrainian army and volunteers who have put themselves forward to defend their country.

On Friday Ukraine’s Government said well over 18,000 guns had been handed to volunteer fighters as they removed an age limit to call on anyone to come forward and take up arms to defend Ukraine from the Russian invasion.

Overnight fighting exploded in the capital Kyiv as Russian forces entered the city as President Putin aims to force a regime change and install a puppet Government.

But experts suggest the opening days of invasion have not gone to plan, as many fear the war will spiral into an insurgency, with potentially millions of Ukranians fighting off Russia.

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