A Ukrainian intelligence source has confirmed that a cyberattack on the Tupolev Design Bureau, a major Russian aircraft manufacturer, resulted in the acquisition of highly sensitive and strategically important information.
The data obtained includes:
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Official correspondence from company leadership
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Personal data of design bureau staff
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Residential addresses
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Resumes of engineers and designers
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Procurement documentation
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Minutes from closed internal meetings
According to the source, the cyber corps of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) had been monitoring the document flow within Tupolev for an extended period before successfully gaining access to more than 4.4 GB of critical internal data.
In addition to the data breach, Ukrainian cyber specialists also defaced Tupolev’s official website, replacing the main page with an image of an owl clutching a Russian aircraft in its talons.
“The value of the data obtained is difficult to overestimate,” the intelligence source said. “At this point, there is virtually no secrecy left in the operations of the Tupolev Design Bureau from Ukrainian intelligence. We now have comprehensive information on individuals directly involved in supporting Russian strategic aviation. The impact of this will soon be evident — both on the ground and in the sky.”
Tupolev, a key player in Russia’s strategic bomber program, has been under international sanctions since 2022 for its involvement in the Kremlin’s full-scale war against Ukraine.