Ukraine charges 5 hackers allegedly working for Russia

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has filed charges of espionage and attempted state overthrow against five people who allegedly were part of a hackers group controlled by Russia.

The Security Service of Ukraine said Friday that the hackers group known as “Armagedon” was responsible for some 5,000 cyberattacks on Ukrainian state agencies since 2014.

The service said it had intercepted and recorded conversations of two group members it claims are agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service, the main descendant of the Soviet KGB, working in Russia-annexed Crimea.

The five alleged hackers were charged in absentia. There were no details on the extent of the damage any of the group’s attacks may have caused.