The head of Ukraine’s cyber-police, Serhii Demediuk, is warning that increased Russian hacking efforts are targeting the upcoming presidential elections in the country. He predicts that attacks will continue to be launched before, on and after March 31, election day, in an attempt to disrupt the voting itself as well as the subsequent counting process. “From what we are seeing, it will be manipulation aimed at distorting information about the results of elections, and calling the elections null or void,” the official said.
Demediuk furthermore believes that Moscow uses Ukraine as a sort of testing ground for cyber weapons: “Ukraine is the launching pad where it all begins … they first of all test us. We are the enemy for them, and they are for us. And so the use of any cyber weapon is a priority. And if it works with us, they then upgrade it to the requirements and infrastructure and use it in this or that country.”
Read more: Ukrainian official: Hacking intensifies as election nears
