Russian national airline Aeroflot has cancelled dozens of flights after an information system failure, and a hacker group has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack, Reuters reported.
The airline has not yet commented on the July 28 attack, and it is not known how long it will take to restore operations. A statement issued by the hacker group calling itself Silent Crow said the operation was carried out in cooperation with the Belarusian group Cyberpartisans BY and was linked to the war in Ukraine. The statement, the authenticity of which Reuters could not verify, read: “Glory to Ukraine! Long live Belarus!”
Silent Crow previously claimed responsibility for an attack on a Russian real estate data system in January 2025.
Aeroflot has reported more than 40 canceled flights after a system failure was discovered.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian travelers have had to get used to disruptions at airports. However, so far, most of these have been related to temporary closures of airports after drone attacks. Aeroflot said its specialists are working to minimize the impact on flights and restore the system. The airline Telegram listed more than 40 canceled flights in Russia, to the Belarusian capital Minsk, as well as to the Armenian capital Yerevan. Passengers at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow have been asked to collect their luggage and leave the airport.
Silent Crow said in a statement that the cyberattack on Aeroflot is the result of a year-long effort. Seven thousand servers were destroyed and personal computers of employees were taken over, including those of high-ranking airline officials. The hackers did not provide any evidence for these claims.
Despite restrictions and sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, Aeroflot remains among the world’s 20 largest airlines. In 2024, according to Aeroflot, it carried 55.3 million passengers.
Read also: Former Ukrainian Army commander indicates possible duration of war