Ukraine Poland Tension Promoted from Grey Eminence of the "Russian Influence Machine"

According to Informnapalm.org website - a volunteer initiative to inform Ukrainian citizens and the foreign public about the undeclared war against Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea, and the activities of the Russian special services - the recent tension between Kyiv and Warsaw, with a series of incidents in late 2016 and early 2017, resulted from Russian interference.

Informnapalm.org reported that organisations CyberHunta and Ukrainian Cyber Alliance have got access to emails of Alyaksandr Usowski, a 49-year-old Belarusian citizen described as a "grey eminence of the Russian influence machine in Eastern Europe" and alleged organiser of "anti-Ukrainian stunts" in Poland.

Alyaksandr Usowski is an historian and writer promoting ideas of the "Russian world". He published his pieces on the website of the pro-Russian movement "Ukrainian Choice", lead by Viktor Medvedchuk, believed to be a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Usowski had been running his "anti-Ukrainian stunts" in Poland under the auspices of his NGO Eastern European Cultural Initiative (Vychodoeuropska kulturna iniciativa), registered in Slovakia.

Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Uncovered Russian Monitoring Material in Odessa

According Intelligence Online, an online newsletter managed from french editor-in-chief Pierre Gastineau and focusing on the role of the worldwide government intelligence agencies, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) "recently uncovered a supply of Russian technical monitoring material including GPS trackers, microphones and jammers in Odessa port".

The materiel is believed to have been made by a Russian company close to the FSB.

Since the change of regime, the SBU has received a lot of support, particularly technical assistance, from the US intelligence community".

Cyber Crime Heaven in Ukraine

Russian-language newspaper Vesti wrote that in Ukraine there are hundreds of online adverts offering to hack any websites for money. "They can help you to eliminate competition or punish the offender, they say. Prices start at 50 dollars per day and there are discounts on long-term orders, for example, week-long ones. We contacted one of the hackers living into that cyber crime market, who gladly agreed to take down any government website".

He said that "the price depends on the level of security and number of proxies". This will be around 2,000-7,000 rubles per day.

Vesti asked the hacker whether he could arrange for an attack on the websites of public offices, for example, the Ukraine National Bank or the ProZorro procurement system.

"These projects have almost no security and filters, this will cost 2,500 rubles per day. Plus a bonus of three hours before the New Year at any time," the hacker said.

Another Hacker whom Vesti inquired about the price of hacking the website of Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine said it would cost 10,000 dollars. "This is really dangerous. We would need to buy new servers and set up everything for such an attack. We do not really want to be caught, especially since the Security Sevice of Ukraine (SBU) has been active recently. Google who was caught for a DDoS attack in Kharkiv less than a day ago," the hacker said.

Indeed, police have caught a cyber gang in Kharkiv these days. "For two years, three Kharkiv residents have interfered in the work of automated systems and computer networks by carrying out DDoS attacks 'on request'. The criminals developed malware to infect computers and discreetly secure full control over them. Controllable computers were than united into a botnet for participation in hacking attacks," the Security Sevice of Ukraine (SBU) press service said. They are now working to identify who made such orders.

New Cyber Threat Center Created in Ukraine with U.S. assistance

A new cyber threat center is being created in Ukraine with U.S. assistance, UNIAN News Agency reported.

This was announced by the deputy defence minister of Ukraine and the Defense Ministry's chief of staff, Col-Gen Oleksandr Dublyan, at today's briefing in Kyiv.

"We have started creating a center to deal with cyber security threats, which is receiving assistance from the US government," Dublyan said.

In addition, the deputy minister noted that "measures are being taken to introduce data protection means in the telecommunications systems of the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces with account of the standards of foreign countries".

Also, according to Dublyan, a blueprint for cyber defence in Ukraine has been drafted, which has been agreed with representatives of the US European Command and the National Security Authority of the Czech Republic. Currently, this document is being reviewed by a parliament committee and the National Security and Defense Council.

He noted that the center was carrying out measures to create an effective system for operational and command control, communications, intelligence and surveillance, and work was being done to switch the field component of the defence forces communication system to digital means meeting NATO protection standards.

Ukrainian Intelligence Adapted to NATO Standards

The structure of Ukrainian Intelligence will be adapted to NATO standards.

According to the statement made by President Petro Poroshenko the capabilities of human intelligence should be strongly increased.

Electronic, space and geospatial intelligence services should be expanded, primarily in the rebel-held territories of Ukraine.

Poroshenko stressed the need for strengthening the analytical segment and developing cooperation with the other Intelligence Agencies of NATO and EU member states.

The president also visited the Centre of Technical Intelligence, which processes information on the activities of Russia's army in Crimea and alleged involvement in Donbass.

"Ukrainian Intelligence should increase capabilities of human intelligence, while electronic, space and geospatial intelligence services should be expanded"

"This is the beginning of the automation of collection and processing of intelligence information. Further growth of this center's capabilities will make it possible to integrate data collected by space, air and electronic intelligence" he said.

Poroshenko also expressed confidence that the Centre of Technical Intelligence would become a "key element of the future unified automated system for the management of Ukraine's military intelligence".

"Based on information received from the military intelligence, we provide the international community with irrefutable evidence of the direct participation of Russia's Armed Forces in the aggression against Ukraine," he said.

Ukrainian Intelligence Agency Say Russia is deploying more Personnel and Warplanes to Crimea

UNIAN news agency reported that Russia is deploying more personnel and warplanes to Crimea.

Vadym Skibitskyy of the Ukraine Defense Ministry's main Intelligence Agency has reported said that "the buildup of forces and equipment on the territory of occupied Crimea continues - namely, combat subunits of the Russian Armed Forces."

Skibitskyy said that personnel and equipment from the 76th Airborne Assault Division of the Airborne Assault Troops of the Russian Federation were being flown to the Kirovske airfield in Il-76 transport aircraft. In addition, over 20 Su-34, Su-35 and MiG-29 warplanes were deployed to the Kirovske and Belbek airfields.

"The air defences of the Crimean peninsula are being strengthened on account of the deployment of a battery of S-400 anti-aircraft missile complexes to Crimea over the Kerch strait. In August, this battery was included in the 18th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment. It will go on combat duty on the Crimean peninsula from 1 December," he said.

Skibitskyy also reported that the forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics were increasing the intensity of bombardments and assaults in the conflict zone using banned weapons and drones.

"The situation in the antiterrorist operation zone remains difficult and is characterised by a growth in the intensity of bombardments and assaults using banned weapons and drones."

He said that high-readiness battalion, company and tactical groups were being formed and the threat was growing of an intensification of hostilities in the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors.

Skibitskyy also said that Russia has been strengthening its command structures in the southwestern strategic sector through the appointment to senior posts of generals with combat experience in Ukraine.

UNIAN quoted him as saying that the commander of the 20th Army of the Western Military District, Maj-Gen Sergey Kuzovlev, had been appointed commander of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District. Skibitskyy noted that Kuzovlev was directly involved in the formation of the 1st and 2nd army corps of the "Russian occupation forces" in Donbass in 2014.

In addition, Skibitskyy said the deputy commander of the 58th Army, Maj-Gen Yevgeniy Nikiforov, who "less than a month ago was replaced as commander of the 2nd corps on the territory of Ukraine", had been appointed commander of the 20th Army of the Western Military District.