Belarusian Cyber Partisans Claim 2023 Breach of Moscow Healthcare Network

Hacktivist Group Claims Responsibility

The Belarusian Cyber Partisans announced they infiltrated the Moscow Department of Health in 2023. The group stated they obtained administrator-level access to the network's infrastructure, which included systems connected to other Russian government agencies. They maintained access for several months before abandoning the operation, citing it was not a priority to maintain prolonged access.

Russian Firm's Report and Discrepancies

This claim by the Cyber Partisans follows a report from Russian cybersecurity firm Solar, a subsidiary of Rostelecom. Solar's report, published last week, detailed a long-running intrusion into an unnamed Russian healthcare organization, attributing it to the Belarusian group. Solar discovered the breach in December 2025 and traced its origins to early 2024, suggesting a nearly two-year presence. The Cyber Partisans, however, stated their access began a year earlier in 2023 and was not maintained after initial objectives were met.

Scope of Access and Potential Impact

Solar's report indicated that the targeted organization had an extensive IT network linked to numerous other healthcare institutions, potentially allowing attackers access to additional systems. Researchers noted that sensitive medical information was accessed, but there was no destruction of data or disruption of operations. The Cyber Partisans indicated that medical information gathered from such operations could assist in assessing Russian military casualties in Ukraine, though they did not disclose specific information obtained from the Moscow network for operational reasons.

Ongoing Operations and Secrecy

A representative for the Cyber Partisans claimed the group currently has access to hundreds of IT systems across Russia and Belarus, a claim that remains unverified. The group stated that most of their current operations are kept secret, and they cannot disclose information obtained from the Moscow healthcare network due to operational security concerns.