KIEV, Jan 16 – Ukraine has asked the FBI in the United States for help to investigate a suspected cyberattack by Russian military hackers on Burisma, an energy company caught up in the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
The Ukrainian interior ministry on Thursday also announced an investigation into the possible illegal surveillance of the then American ambassador to Kiev, Marie Yovanovitch, following the release of encrypted messages this week by the U.S. Congress as part of the impeachment case.
Burisma Holdings was at the center of attempts by Trump last July to persuade Ukraine to announce an investigation into Hunter Biden, who is the son of Democratic U.S. presidential contender Joe Biden and used to have a seat on the Ukrainian company’s board.
Trump’s efforts have led to the Republican being impeached on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The president, who denies wrongdoing, faces a trial at the U.S. Senate that could have consequences for his efforts to seek a second term in a November election.
California-based cybersecurity company Area 1 Security on Monday identified the hacking of Burisma and linked it to Russia’s Main Directorate of Military Intelligence, or GRU.
The same hacking group, known as “Fancy Bear” or “APT28” by cybersecurity researchers, breached the Democratic National Committee in 2016 in what U.S. investigators described as part of an operation to disrupt that year’s election.
Russia’s defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment about Area 1 Security’s assertions.
“It is noted that the hacking attack was probably committed by the Russian special services,” Ukrainian interior ministry official Artem Minyailo said at a briefing.
Minyailo said Ukraine had asked the FBI and Area 1 Security for assistance regarding information that hackers stole personal employee data and emails from executives at Burisma and other companies. These other companies included the media production company of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, he said.
Zelenskiy was a comedian and actor before going into politics.
There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by the Bidens, who reject Trump’s allegations of corruption.
“The national police has initiated the creation of a joint international investigation team, to which FBI representatives have already been invited by the ministry,” Minyailo said.
The U.S. Department of Justice referred Reuters questions to the FBI, which declined to comment. The U.S. Department of State did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Asked whether Trump would bring up the reported hacking of Burisma the next time he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters: “Sure, maybe he will. But again I think any time you mention Burisma, if you really care about investigations, if you really care about the truth, then let’s dig into Burisma.”
Via Pluralist
