Hacking attacks on Burisma, Kvartal 95: Ukraine asks FBI to join probe

"As part of criminal proceedings, the National Police of Ukraine asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Area1, a company that detected signs of a hacking attack, to assist in the provision of information published in the U.S. media. For a proper investigation into the circumstances of the offense, the National Police of Ukraine is initiating the creation of a joint international investigation team to which FBI representatives will be invited. Persons involved in committing this criminal offense are being established," the report reads.

It notes that the cyber police department started criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Article 163 (violation of secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations, telegraph or other correspondence) and Part 2 of Article 361 (unauthorized interference with the operation of electronic computing machines (computers), automated systems, computer networks or telecommunication networks) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine due to U.S. media reports about hacking attacks against the websites of several Ukrainian companies.

A number of U.S. media outlets, including The New York Times, have recently spread information about a hacker attack against the websites of several Ukrainian companies, including Burisma Holdings and Kvartal 95, to steal employees' personal information and seize emails from the companies' executives. According to reports, the hacking might have been committed by the Russian special services.

In particular, according to The New York Times, Russian military hackers attacked the website of Ukrainian gas company Burisma to get compromising material on former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who is Donald Trump's likely rival in the 2020 presidential election.

op