Killnet hacktivists say they’re disbanding

Last updated: 5 June 2023

Vilius Petkauskas
Deputy Editor

Russia Ukraine cyberwar — Shutterstock/Cybernews

Killnet, the pro-Russian hacktivist group turned military corporation, said it had “completely disbanded.”

The announcement came after one of the supposed group members said he was resigning from activities associated with Killnet.

“I do not intend to single out the rest, no one deserves an acclaim and a comment. Killnet has been completely disbanded,” a post by the group’s admins on Killnet’s Telegram channel said.

The announcement provoked a tirade of angry messages towards the person who resigned. Others asked Killnet’s leader Killmilk if they could unsubscribe from the channel, with the gang’s head laconically answering, “Yes.”

Killnet disbanding — Message announcing Killnet's alleged disbanding. Image by Cybernews.

KillNet first made headlines after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. The hacktivist group outwardly supported the Kremlin’s political agenda, especially when it came to the war in Ukraine.

In February of this year, the gang attacked over a dozen US hospitals and healthcare organizations after President Biden promised to provide Abrams military tanks to the war-torn nation.

Weeks later, KillNet targeted the German automotive and arms manufacturer Rheinmetall after rumors the company was planning on setting up a tank factory in Ukraine.

In late April, the group said it would offer its services to private and state sponsors and, therefore, should be called a “private military hacker company.”

Even if Killnet disbanded, plenty of similar pro-Russian groups still perform Telegram-coordinated DDoS attacks, such as NoName, Xaknet, Legion, and others.