A severe security breach targeting the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, known as Rosstat, has resulted in the alleged exfiltration of 23 terabytes of sensitive data and the public exposure of restricted figures regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine. The intrusion unfolded over the Halloween weekend, specifically between October 29 and November 1, 2026, compromising critical administrative and statistical networks across the central office, regional units, and the Main Interregional Center for the Processing and Dissemination of Statistical Information. Hacker collectives Belarusian CyberPartisans and Silent Crow claimed responsibility for the operation, utilizing the messaging platform Telegram to broadcast details of their deep penetration into the federal department's digital infrastructure.
Key takeaways
- Rosstat acknowledged its information resources were targeted over the Halloween weekend between October 29 and November 1, 2026.
- Hackers exfiltrated 23TB of data, including electronic document management systems and virtualized infrastructure.
- The breached data published on a Russian state website indicated 1,584,910 Russian military personnel casualties in Ukraine.
- The leaked records also detailed a loss of 587,409 unmanned aerial vehicles during the conflict.
Anatomy of the Federal Network Infiltration
The perpetrators gained prolonged access to core organizational files by unlocking domain controllers, which subsequently enabled them to compromise infrastructure management tools and virtualization platforms such as VMware ESXi. According to the statements published by the Silent Crow collective, the scope of the incident reached far beyond isolated user accounts or individual servers, penetrating internal circuits and federal databases containing information of official and public value. In addition to data theft, the hacking groups boasted of taking control of vehicles, though those specific claims remain outside official confirmation.
Rosstat officials confirmed to local Russian media outlet Kommersant that automated monitoring systems flagged suspicious activity over the Halloween weekend, allowing response protocols to initiate quickly. The organization officially stated in its public communications that its infrastructure operated normally and maintained that no compromise of legally protected databases or information leakage had been identified by their internal checks. Meanwhile, cybersecurity experts, on-site professionals, and specialized law enforcement units launched formal investigations to establish the vector of the attack and trace the exact sources of the threat.
Exposed War Figures and Asset Losses
Official tallies concerning Russian military casualties in the war with Ukraine have been strictly withheld from public disclosure by authorities since 2024. During the breach, however, the hackers utilized a Russian state website to display restricted figures, citing total Russian military personnel casualties at 1,584,910 since the start of the conflict. Independent verification of these figures through official Russian government sources remains highly unlikely given the sensitivity of the data.
The stolen records also revealed the loss of 587,409 unmanned aerial vehicles, illustrating an immense scale of drone deployment and attrition that far outpaces traditional combat assets such as tanks, artillery, and manned aircraft. As external investigators and specialized security units continue working to determine how the attackers bypassed domain controls and penetrated federal regional units, the full impact of the 23-terabyte data leak on state operations remains under close observation.
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