Oleg Shakirov
@shakirov2036.bsky.social
I study Russian foreign policy, cyber security, arms control
Some of @ridt.bsky.social's tweets are preserved as historical heritage in edited volume citations
November 4, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Some of @ridt.bsky.social's tweets are preserved as historical heritage in edited volume citations
The transition to digital warfare implies that the power of states and alliances will depend on compute much more than on territorial or resource control
Alas, Russia does and will continue to lag behind in this race
Alas, Russia does and will continue to lag behind in this race
October 31, 2025 at 12:20 AM
The transition to digital warfare implies that the power of states and alliances will depend on compute much more than on territorial or resource control
Alas, Russia does and will continue to lag behind in this race
Alas, Russia does and will continue to lag behind in this race
The most informed take from Russia so far on drone warfare (and by extension digital warfare) from former Chief of General Staff Yury Baluevskiy & Ruslan Pukhov of CAST
TL;DR: drones are indeed revolutionizing & militaries will need to adapt
globalaffairs.ru/articles/czi...
TL;DR: drones are indeed revolutionizing & militaries will need to adapt
globalaffairs.ru/articles/czi...
October 31, 2025 at 12:11 AM
The most informed take from Russia so far on drone warfare (and by extension digital warfare) from former Chief of General Staff Yury Baluevskiy & Ruslan Pukhov of CAST
TL;DR: drones are indeed revolutionizing & militaries will need to adapt
globalaffairs.ru/articles/czi...
TL;DR: drones are indeed revolutionizing & militaries will need to adapt
globalaffairs.ru/articles/czi...
Russian authorities arrested 3 men in Astrakhan for creating 'the infamous Medusa virus' (probably Medusa stealer), acc. to the Ministry of Interior. In May they allegedly targeted an org in that region
They are also linked to another unnamed malware
t.me/IrinaVolk_MV...
They are also linked to another unnamed malware
t.me/IrinaVolk_MV...
October 30, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Russian authorities arrested 3 men in Astrakhan for creating 'the infamous Medusa virus' (probably Medusa stealer), acc. to the Ministry of Interior. In May they allegedly targeted an org in that region
They are also linked to another unnamed malware
t.me/IrinaVolk_MV...
They are also linked to another unnamed malware
t.me/IrinaVolk_MV...
New draft resolution (by Austria, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Malta, & Mexico) urges NWS to publish policies "explicitly affirming and operationalizing that [C3] systems of nuclear weapons that integrate [AI] will remain subject to human control"
digitallibrary.un.org/record/4091455
digitallibrary.un.org/record/4091455
October 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM
New draft resolution (by Austria, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Malta, & Mexico) urges NWS to publish policies "explicitly affirming and operationalizing that [C3] systems of nuclear weapons that integrate [AI] will remain subject to human control"
digitallibrary.un.org/record/4091455
digitallibrary.un.org/record/4091455
Speaking of Grokipedia, Russian authorities have long complained about Wikipedia's biases & promoted several sovereign alternatives incl. Ruwiki (ruwiki.ru) which was forked from Wikipedia & then 'properly' edited. It also uses AI by the way
October 28, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Speaking of Grokipedia, Russian authorities have long complained about Wikipedia's biases & promoted several sovereign alternatives incl. Ruwiki (ruwiki.ru) which was forked from Wikipedia & then 'properly' edited. It also uses AI by the way
Taking metro in DC makes you think about mission-critical, AI-driven, battlefield-proven solutions to everyday problems
October 25, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Taking metro in DC makes you think about mission-critical, AI-driven, battlefield-proven solutions to everyday problems
The recording of the signing ceremony is available here webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1m...
It features not only routine signings but also artful cybersecurity-themed dance performance
It features not only routine signings but also artful cybersecurity-themed dance performance
October 25, 2025 at 6:24 AM
The recording of the signing ceremony is available here webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1m...
It features not only routine signings but also artful cybersecurity-themed dance performance
It features not only routine signings but also artful cybersecurity-themed dance performance
The UN Convention against Cybercrime was signed by 63 states & the EU. These include Russia, China, United Kingdom, 12 EU member states, Brazil, Australia, many from Africa, Latin America, South & Southeast Asia.
No signatures from the United States, France, Germany, India
No signatures from the United States, France, Germany, India
October 25, 2025 at 6:24 AM
The UN Convention against Cybercrime was signed by 63 states & the EU. These include Russia, China, United Kingdom, 12 EU member states, Brazil, Australia, many from Africa, Latin America, South & Southeast Asia.
No signatures from the United States, France, Germany, India
No signatures from the United States, France, Germany, India
As I noted before (bsky.app/profile/shak...), MSS's emphasis on potentially destructive consequences of the attack on the National Time Service Center was likely a response to U.S. accusations regarding Volt Typhoon
Now the Chinese MFA says this explicitly www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/f...
Now the Chinese MFA says this explicitly www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/f...
October 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
As I noted before (bsky.app/profile/shak...), MSS's emphasis on potentially destructive consequences of the attack on the National Time Service Center was likely a response to U.S. accusations regarding Volt Typhoon
Now the Chinese MFA says this explicitly www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/f...
Now the Chinese MFA says this explicitly www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/f...
Singapore submitted draft resolution to the First Committee on establishing a successor to OEWG, Global Mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs
digitallibrary.un.org/record/40909...
digitallibrary.un.org/record/40909...
October 21, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Singapore submitted draft resolution to the First Committee on establishing a successor to OEWG, Global Mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs
digitallibrary.un.org/record/40909...
digitallibrary.un.org/record/40909...
Still, while providing text descriptions and some screenshots, it lacks any samples and the IP addresses used by the attackers are presented in a redacted form typical for Chinese reports
10/11
10/11
October 21, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Still, while providing text descriptions and some screenshots, it lacks any samples and the IP addresses used by the attackers are presented in a redacted form typical for Chinese reports
10/11
10/11
The MSS statement also features a paragraph lambasting U.S. cyber accusations & calling the U.S. "the greatest source of chaos in cyberspace." Over the past years this has been an indispensable part of all Chinese reports on cyber attacks attributed to the U.S.
5/11
5/11
October 21, 2025 at 12:44 AM
The MSS statement also features a paragraph lambasting U.S. cyber accusations & calling the U.S. "the greatest source of chaos in cyberspace." Over the past years this has been an indispensable part of all Chinese reports on cyber attacks attributed to the U.S.
5/11
5/11
The MSS stresses the severity of a cyber attack on the National Time Service Center by outlining potentially disruptive consequences, i.e. causing the failure of critical infrastructure
2/11
2/11
October 21, 2025 at 12:44 AM
The MSS stresses the severity of a cyber attack on the National Time Service Center by outlining potentially disruptive consequences, i.e. causing the failure of critical infrastructure
2/11
2/11
I've updated my list of TI reports on threat actors targeting Russia. It now features around 190 reports on 55 groups. Most actors are not reliably linked to a specific state, but among those that are the two top origins are China and Ukraine
cyberguerre.notion.site/3ca6753fc47d...
cyberguerre.notion.site/3ca6753fc47d...
October 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
I've updated my list of TI reports on threat actors targeting Russia. It now features around 190 reports on 55 groups. Most actors are not reliably linked to a specific state, but among those that are the two top origins are China and Ukraine
cyberguerre.notion.site/3ca6753fc47d...
cyberguerre.notion.site/3ca6753fc47d...
Since it's still Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I think more people should be aware that the French call hackers 'pirates' (or 'pirates informatiques' to be more specific) and hacking 'piratage.' And I think it's beautiful!
October 12, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Since it's still Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I think more people should be aware that the French call hackers 'pirates' (or 'pirates informatiques' to be more specific) and hacking 'piratage.' And I think it's beautiful!
Putin recently said that Russia requested twice to join NATO (in 1954 & 2000). Actually that happened multiple times including when Russia was not in the best shape
See here on Yeltsin's appeal in late 1991, days before the collapse of the Soviet Union
www.washingtonpost.com/archive/poli...
See here on Yeltsin's appeal in late 1991, days before the collapse of the Soviet Union
www.washingtonpost.com/archive/poli...
October 6, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Putin recently said that Russia requested twice to join NATO (in 1954 & 2000). Actually that happened multiple times including when Russia was not in the best shape
See here on Yeltsin's appeal in late 1991, days before the collapse of the Soviet Union
www.washingtonpost.com/archive/poli...
See here on Yeltsin's appeal in late 1991, days before the collapse of the Soviet Union
www.washingtonpost.com/archive/poli...
Nothing makes you more aware of cyber security than the shortage of Asahi beer
Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
October 4, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Nothing makes you more aware of cyber security than the shortage of Asahi beer
Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
How is this real...
October 1, 2025 at 5:17 PM
How is this real...
Kudos to Microsoft & Cloudflare for taking action against RaccoonO365
Here's the link to relevant legal files with a bunch of seized domains & other interesting details (via Health ISAC)
noticeofpleadings.com/RaccoonO365/
Here's the link to relevant legal files with a bunch of seized domains & other interesting details (via Health ISAC)
noticeofpleadings.com/RaccoonO365/
September 16, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Kudos to Microsoft & Cloudflare for taking action against RaccoonO365
Here's the link to relevant legal files with a bunch of seized domains & other interesting details (via Health ISAC)
noticeofpleadings.com/RaccoonO365/
Here's the link to relevant legal files with a bunch of seized domains & other interesting details (via Health ISAC)
noticeofpleadings.com/RaccoonO365/
a) Even in Seqrite's report you can see a bunch of 'test' email addresses in the list of recipients which makes more sense when you do a simulated rather than real attack
b) some folks in Kazakh infosec chats got angry over Seqrite's report even before KazMunayGas's denial
2/2
b) some folks in Kazakh infosec chats got angry over Seqrite's report even before KazMunayGas's denial
2/2
September 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
a) Even in Seqrite's report you can see a bunch of 'test' email addresses in the list of recipients which makes more sense when you do a simulated rather than real attack
b) some folks in Kazakh infosec chats got angry over Seqrite's report even before KazMunayGas's denial
2/2
b) some folks in Kazakh infosec chats got angry over Seqrite's report even before KazMunayGas's denial
2/2
It does work, but not always. Maybe too many people tried checking out?
September 5, 2025 at 8:55 PM
It does work, but not always. Maybe too many people tried checking out?