Neowin News Feed for: Ukraine

Russia is using stolen U.S. made spyware to hack iPhones in Ukraine in a massive attack

Karthik Mudaliar — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:50:01 +0000

Russia has repurposed stolen U.S.-made multi-million-dollar spyware to attack and steal personal data from the Ukrainian government and citizens. Read more...

How Star Blizzard tried to hack the WhatsApp accounts of government and diplomatic staff

Paul Hill — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:32:02 +0000

Microsoft has outlined a phishing scam used by the Russian hacking group Star Blizzard to get into the WhatsApp accounts of US government and diplomatic staff. Read more...

Government dilemma: Musk has been in secret talks with Putin, raising security concerns

Martin Hodás — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:06:01 +0000

Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin since 2022. It appears to be a closely held secret in government, a new WSJ report claims. Read more...

Microsoft warns of 600M daily cyberattacks with rising AI sophistication

Paul Hill — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 06:38:01 +0000

Microsoft reveals a staggering 600 million cyberattacks daily, with both cybercriminals and nation-states increasingly utilizing generative AI to enhance their operations. Read more...

After breaking up with Russia, NASA comes to save Europe's never-ending mission to Mars

Martin Hodás — Sat, 18 May 2024 19:58:01 +0000

European space mission ExoMars began in 2001. However, it came close to being canceled due to repeated delays and war in Ukraine. A new partnership with NASA aims to finally send the rover into space. Read more...

Game over: Global sting takes down LockBit cybercriminals

Paul Hill — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 15:40:01 +0000

An international task force has nabbed two actors involved with the LockBit ransomware that has been causing a major headache for companies around the world since 2019. Infrastructure was seized too. Read more...

After photos from the battlefield, Musk denies that SpaceX is selling Starlink to Russia

Martin Hodás — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 09:10:02 +0000

Ukrainian intelligence confirmed that Russians are using Starlink at the front line in Ukraine. SpaceX denies a possibility that the Russian military obtained its terminals legally. Read more...

Russian district court fines Google $32,000, Wikipedia also under fire

Ishtiaqe Hanif — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:24:01 +0000

Google was fined after failing to remove an alleged fake news video about the Russia-Ukraine conflict from YouTube, a Russian district court ruled after the company broke its administrative laws. Read more...

Sanctions turn 70% of Russian gamers into pirates

Paul Hill — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:04:01 +0000

Following sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, gaming piracy levels have rocketed. Research has found that 7 in 10 gamers have engaged in game piracy over the last year. Read more...

Department of Justice is investigating Binance for violating Russian Sanctions

Mehrotra A — Sun, 07 May 2023 10:20:01 +0000

The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Binance for helping Russians skirt the US sanctions. This is not the first time Binance has come under fire for violating sanctions. Read more...

Secret room in CS:GO map informing Russians about the Ukraine war

Ishtiaqe Hanif — Thu, 04 May 2023 03:34:01 +0000

Finish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat leaking the Ukraine war atrocities to Russians through a secret room. It created a map for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with a hidden underground room. Read more...

CERT Ukraine: Beware of fake Windows updates distributed via Microsoft Outlook domain emails

Sayan Sen — Mon, 01 May 2023 18:46:01 +0000

The CERT Ukraine has warned about a new malicious campaign that is targeting Ukrainian officials. The campaign is essentially distributing fake Windows updates via Outlook domain mails. Read more...

Microsoft decides to continue to work with Russian private companies not under sanctions

Ishtiaqe Hanif — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:28:01 +0000

American technology giant Microsoft Corporation sent out letters to around 1,000 Russian companies that are not under sanctions to renew their licenses of its software amidst the ongoing crisis. Read more...

The Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been approved in the Ukraine

John Callaham — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:56:01 +0000

Ukraine's Antimonopoly Committee has given its approval for Microsoft to purchase Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, even as the UK's regulatory authority rejected the deal earlier this week. Read more...

Xiaomi denies Ukraine's claim that it's an ‘international sponsor of war'

Paul Hill — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 18:32:01 +0000

Xiaomi has hit back at Ukraine's assertion that it's an international sponsor of war. The Chinese company said that the phones it sells in Russia are for civilian and commercial use only. Read more...

Meta: Our content moderation on Facebook and Instagram is not biased in favor of Russia

Usama Jawad — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 07:04:01 +0000

In response to allegations, Meta has shared some details about its content moderation mechanism to deny claims that its review process censors Ukrainian content while allowing Russian propaganda. Read more...

Russian courts fine Twitch $57,000 over "fake" Ukraine content

Steve Bennett — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 10:14:01 +0000

Russian courts have recently issued a $57,000 fine to Amazon-owned Twitch for failing to remove content about its military campaign in Ukraine which it reportedly says is falsified. Read more...

Russians can once again download software from Intel, but not easily

Steve Bennett — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 13:38:01 +0000

Ever since Intel and Microsoft withdrew from Russian markets following the invasion of Ukraine, citizens who wanted to download drivers and other software have faced difficulty until today. Read more...

Google Search now provides more helpful energy crisis information in Europe

Paul Hill — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 20:26:01 +0000

Google has rolled out tools to Search to help people in Europe with the ongoing energy crisis. It includes news on the matter, local guidance, and steps you can take to cut usage and save money. Read more...

Microsoft to provide free tech support for Ukraine throughout 2023

Justin Luna — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:52:01 +0000

Microsoft is pledging continued support for Ukraine since its conflict with Russia started in late February. The software giant will provide additional technology aid valued at roughly $100 million. Read more...

New 'Azov' ransomware strain frames cybersecurity researchers

Justin Luna — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 06:50:01 +0000

A newly discovered ransomware strain is framing cybersecurity experts by claiming that they are the ones behind the attacks. However, the people blamed are not associated in any way with the malware. Read more...

Germany fires cybersecurity chief because of close ties to Russia

Usama Jawad — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 13:34:01 +0000

Germany has sacked its chief of cybersecurity after media allegations that the executive has close ties to a Russian firm with links to president Vladimir Putin. An investigation is underway. Read more...

EU considering to pay for Starlink in Ukraine fearing Elon Musk might abruptly cut it off

Karthik Mudaliar — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 08:54:01 +0000

After SpaceX wrote to the Pentagon asking to fund Starlink in Ukraine and withdrawing the request the next day, the EU fears Elon Musk might wake up one day and cut off Ukraine's internet. Read more...

Elon Musk says SpaceX will continue funding Starlink's Ukraine operations

Karthik Mudaliar — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 08:38:01 +0000

Elon Musk has said that SpaceX will continue funding Starlink's operations in Ukraine indefinitely. This comes after SpaceX wrote a letter to the Pentagon asking to pick up the tab for its operations. Read more...

SpaceX asks Pentagon to pick up the tab for Starlink's services in Ukraine

Karthik Mudaliar — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:16:01 +0000

SpaceX has wrote to the Pentagon asking to fund Starlink's services in Ukraine. The company said that it is "not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine, or fund the existing terminals." Read more...

Apple removes Russia's VK from its App Store citing UK sanctions

Usama Jawad — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:12:01 +0000

Apple has removed the apps owned by Russia's biggest social network, VK, from the App Store citing recent sanctions by the UK. The Russian firm's developer accounts have been revoked too. Read more...

Dell halts all operations in Russia, full exit expected soon

Usama Jawad — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 02:56:01 +0000

Dell is on the verge of fully exiting Russia. The company already closed all its offices in the country a few days ago and is expected to lay off all employees operating in the region soon. Read more...

Ukrainian government raises $100,000 from the sale of a donated CryptoPunks NFT

Paul Hill — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 02:16:40 +0000

Ukraine has just sold a donated CryptoPunks NFT for a huge 90 ETH - about $100,000 at the time of sale. The country will use the proceeds to buy more equipment for its war effort to repel Russia. Read more...

Google Russia is filing for bankruptcy after officials seize its accounts

Mehrotra A — Thu, 19 May 2022 05:44:01 +0000

Google's Russian subsidiary has announced that it will be filing for bankruptcy after authorities seized its bank account making it impossible for the company to pay for salaries and other expenses. Read more...

Downloads and updates for paid Google Play apps are now banned in Russia

Usama Jawad — Mon, 09 May 2022 16:02:01 +0000

Google has announced that paid apps in the Play Store can't be downloaded or updated in Russia anymore. This is apparently being done due to "compliance" efforts but free apps are exempt. Read more...

Russia is dodging western sanctions by legalizing gray imports

Karthik Mudaliar — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:32:01 +0000

The Russian government has made "gray" imports legal. This will allow the Russian citizens to import smartphones, TVs, computers, consoles and even cars and spare parts without the maker's consent. Read more...

Netflix loses subscribers for the first time in over a decade, share price falls 20%

Usama Jawad — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 08:10:01 +0000

Netflix has reported a decline in its total subscriber count for the first time since October 2011. The firm has attributed this to its exit from Russia and cancellations due to price hikes. Read more...

Microsoft takes control of Russia-linked Strontium domains used in cyber attacks on Ukraine

Paul Hill — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 22:40:01 +0000

Microsoft has revealed its latest efforts to tackle cyber attacks by a hacking entity linked to Russia called Strontium. It took over several of the entity's domains to help keep users safe. Read more...

Epic Games has raised $144 million for Ukraine since March 21 and will donate it to charity

Paul Hill — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 23:48:02 +0000

Epic Games managed to raise $144 million for Ukraine between March 21 and April 3. The money will be donated to a range of charities including UNICEF, UNHCR, Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen. Read more...

Russia will launch its Play Store alternative on May 9, its WWII Victory Day

Karthik Mudaliar — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 17:16:01 +0000

Russian developers will launch their Play Store alternative "NashStore" on May 9, Russia's Victory Day, after Google suspended all payment services in the country leaving developers with no income. Read more...

Apple sees dark clouds ahead, iPhone SE production slashed by 20%

Paul Hill — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 22:24:01 +0000

Apple has slashed iPhone SE production by 20% due to several factors that make the company believe it will sell fewer devices. Concerning Apple are inflation levels and the Russo-Ukrainian war. Read more...

AI in warfare: Russia's autonomous "suicide" drone spotted in Ukraine

Fiza Ali — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 19:14:01 +0000

ZALA Aero's deadly drone, which can autonomously identify and destroy its target, was spotted in Ukraine. It is possible that the target of the KUB-BLA was Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Read more...

TWIRL 57: Russian cosmonauts exit capsule wearing Ukrainian colours

Paul Hill — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 15:14:01 +0000

Following the week where Russian cosmonauts gave tacit support to Ukraine, we have just one rocket launch, a Roscosmos Soyuz 2.1a that will be carrying Meridian-M satellites for the MoD. Read more...

Latest Firefox update removes Russian search providers Yandex and Mail.ru

Usama Jawad — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 08:42:01 +0000

Mozilla has removed Yandex and Mail.ru as the default search engine options in its latest Firefox release. It's currently unclear if this is due to an anti-Russia stance or something else entirely. Read more...

Ukrainians turn to translation and language learning apps as they're forced to flee war

Paul Hill — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 20:32:01 +0000

Translation and language learning app downloads have spiked among Ukrainians as they flee the war and try to settle in other countries. Translation app downloads were up 71% month-over-month. Read more...