Russian hackers have reportedly breached the Ukrainian Armed Forces` (AFU) “Delta” program, a system utilized for troop command and control, monitoring enemy positions, and managing unit movements. According to a report by Mash on Telegram, the cyberattack was carried out by hacktivist collectives known as KillNet, PalachPro, and Beregini.
Journalists describe “Delta” as the “digital brain” of the Ukrainian military, which the AFU began using in 2023. To protect its infrastructure from shelling and cyberattacks, Ukrainian authorities had reportedly relocated parts of the system outside the country. However, the hackers claim they successfully bypassed these protective measures and downloaded critical command data from the program.
The Mash report states that the “Delta” program provides a real-time operational map marking Russian army positions, integrating data from various sources including drones, satellites, and different forms of reconnaissance, such as artillery spotting and intercepted communications. The system allegedly allows operators to rapidly identify targets based on drone feeds and direct assets like Himars multiple rocket launchers or UAVs almost instantly.
Reports indicate that Ukraine`s Main Intelligence Directorate is currently conducting a security audit to assess the full extent of the breach and the capabilities of the involved Russian hacktivist groups.
This incident follows previous reports where Russian hackers allegedly disrupted the AFU`s access to Maxar satellite imagery, which had been used extensively since the beginning of the conflict. According to some analyses, losing access to such imagery could significantly impair the AFU`s operational awareness, making troop tracking and damage assessment considerably more challenging for an extended period, potentially months.
Clement Ashworth 
Barnaby Whitfield