Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence has obtained a large volume of internal data from the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (MIT), a major Russian developer of ballistic missile and military space systems, and identified 2,648 people working within the corporation.
According to Defence Intelligence, the cyber operation provided access to information about MIT’s organisational structure, current and future projects, management and employees.
The corporation includes several enterprises involved in Russia’s defence industry, including the Prozhektor Design Bureau, Vympel Machine-Building Plant, Votkinsk Plant and Iskra.
Defence Intelligence said MIT facilities in Moscow and other Russian regions are involved in developing designs, software, engines and other components, as well as mathematical modelling and testing of control systems for some of Russia’s most important missile programmes.
These include the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile, Topol-M mobile ICBM, Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile, Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile system and the Kedr/Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile programme.
The corporation is also working on military satellite communications and technologies designed to rapidly deploy satellites into low Earth orbit, according to the intelligence agency. The objective is to provide Russian forces with more resilient and secure command-and-control and communications capabilities.
Among the projects identified by Ukrainian intelligence is the Start-1M conversion launch vehicle. Defence Intelligence said the system could allow Russia to deploy low-orbit satellite constellations for electro-optical and radar reconnaissance.
MIT is also developing a scalable unified space platform known as Tiporyad, intended to expand Russia’s military reconnaissance, communications and command capabilities and increase the resilience of its space infrastructure.
As part of the operation, Defence Intelligence said it obtained personal information on 2,648 people associated with the corporation whom the agency considers involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Among those identified were MIT Director General Sergei Ponomaryov, a reserve lieutenant general, and several of his deputies, including Yuri Kirillov, Yuri Solomonov, Andrei Bashirov, Artyom Khrebin and Sergei Solonichkin.
Defence Intelligence said the information obtained in the operation would be used to reduce Russia’s ability to continue its war against Ukraine and to support efforts to hold individuals allegedly involved in war crimes accountable.
