Russian hackers' arrests timing likely just coincidence, says Ukraine analyst

February 05, 2022

Russian Hackers' Arrests Timing Likely Just Coincidence, Says Ukraine Analyst | GZERO World

Russia recently arrested 14 hackers from REvil, a ransomware gang involved in last year's cyberattack against the Colonial Pipeline in the US.

Some think it was a gesture by Vladimir Putin to deescalate tensions with the US over Ukraine. But analyst Alina Polyakova tells Ian Bremmer she doesn't buy it.

It's more likely, she says, that the hackers did something to irritate the Russians.

“When people see strategy in something that the Kremlin does, I usually see circumstantial reasons and coincidence, and maybe some incompetence here and there," Polyakova explains. "I think these were two separate events.”

Watch this episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer: Will Putin invade Ukraine?

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