Ukrainian hack that could allow to spy on Putin

A breach of Russia's information and communications design company might have allowed peeking into Putin's summit meetings.

Ukraine's Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (GUR) hackers have penetrated Russia's leading telecommunications infrastructure design company PJSC Giprosvyaz, a subsidiary of Rostelecom.

According to a blog post by Jeff Carr, an internationally-known cybersecurity advisor with ties to GUR, PJSC Giprosvyaz sets technical guidelines all communications designers in Russia must follow. In essence, the company creates the blueprints for modern communications in Russia.

According to Carr, the company designed telecoms infrastructure in the Russian resort town of Sochi before the 2014 Olympics. Sochi is also the place where the Kremlin's head Vladimir Putin maintains residences, where he meets world leaders.

"[…] residences would require advanced information and communications networks, almost certainly designed, planned, and installed by Giprosvyaz," Carr writes.

Access to detailed plans of telecommunications infrastructure design could allow intelligence services to hack into closely guarded channels that state leaders use to communicate.

One of the Sochi-based residences, the Bocharov Ruchey, is used as Russia's president's top spot to meet key figures in world politics. Putin met American president George W. Bush, German chancellor Angela Merkel and many others there.

Sochi also hosts a suspected private villa of President Putin. A massive complex dubbed 'Putin's Palace' was discovered by currently imprisoned Russia's opposition politician Alexei Navalny.