Moscow blames Ukraine and West over cyberattack

Ruling party Russia United suffers widespread online assault

- TOM WATLING

Russia's governing party said it was hit by a cyberattack yesterday, the second day of presidential elections, as the Kremlin accused Ukraine of trying to disturb the voting process to curry favour with its Western allies.

The ruling United Russia party, for which Vladimir Putin acts as its de facto ruler but is not representing in these elections, claimed it faced a widespread denial of service attack – a form of cyberattack aimed at paralysing web traffic – and had suspended non-essential services to repel it.

State news agency RIA quoted a senior telecoms official as blaming the cyberattacks on Ukraine and Western countries. They did not provide evidence to substantiate this claim.

It proved the latest in a string of Russian claims that Ukraine and its Western allies were trying to disturb the presidential elections, which are widely viewed as rigged to ensure Mr Putin resumes office for a fifth term.

On the second of three days of voting, the Russian foreign ministry said Kyiv had “intensified its terrorist activities” in connection with the election “to demonstrate its activity to its Western handlers and to beg for even more financial assistance and lethal weapons”.