Security Service of Ukraine informed that it responded to the hack by blocking and dismantling the suspected camera.
The agency further advised online users to cease transmitting and watching security camera feeds online, as Russian military intelligence is utilizing the "collected data for preparing and adjusting strikes on Kyiv."
Russia has been attacking Kyiv and Kharkiv since New Year’s holiday weekend, resulting in five casualties and over 130 injured. On Tuesday, around 100 missiles were fired on the two cities.
These attacks were monitored by the Russian intelligence by hacking into the online surveillance cameras that are privately-owned. "According to SBU cyber specialists, one of the devices was located on the balcony of an apartment building and was used by a local condominium to monitor the surrounding area," the SBU reported.
Hackers secretly recorded all visual data inside the surveillance camera's viewing range by gaining remote access to the device and altering its viewing angle. According to the SBU, Russian intelligence then viewed the feed on YouTube to assist the military in tracking the airstrikes and informing soldiers about their targets.
The hacked surveillance camera used for monitoring the parking lot of other residential complex in Kyiv helped hackers to surveille the surrounding areas, which comprised vital infrastructure facilities.
Internet and Power Supply Affected
The energy company DTEK said that Russian missiles had damaged power grid equipment and overhead lines in Kyiv and the surrounding region, causing blackouts that affected nearly 260,000 Kyiv residents. Russian missiles, drones, and bombers also struck Ukrainian internet and power supply services.
DTEK tweeted, "Critical infrastructure, industrial, civilian and military facilities were attacked. The main focus of the attack was the capital of Ukraine[…]DTEK's power engineers are quickly restoring power after the attack."
As of Wednesday, DTEK Executive Director Dmytro Sakharuk announced that all 260,000 residents in Kyiv and an additional 185,000 residents in the surrounding districts had their power restored. "We are now continuing to repair networks after yesterday's shelling, because some consumers had to be connected via backup circuits."