The Swedish government reported an attempted cyberattack by Russian-linked hackers on a thermal power plant last year. The attack was unsuccessful, but such hybrid attacks beyond cyberspace are becoming more threatening.
Sweden’s civil defense minister, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, noted in a press conference that the attack in early 2025 involved hackers connected to Russian intelligence. “Pro-Russian groups are moving from denial-of-service to destructive cyberattacks on European organizations,” Bohlin said, quoted by Bloomberg.
The targeted plant was unnamed, but Bohlin mentioned the attack was thwarted by a protection mechanism, highlighting “riskier and more reckless behavior” from the hackers.
A Russian government spokesperson did not comment when approached by TechCrunch.
This incident adds to the series of attacks on critical infrastructure attributed to Russian hackers, who increasingly focus on energy and water systems to cause disruptions to public services.
Before striking Sweden, Russia was accused of attempting to disrupt Poland’s power grid in December 2025. Earlier, Russian hackers briefly commandeered a Norwegian dam, releasing millions of gallons of water before being expelled.
In January 2024, a cyberattack on a municipal energy company in Lviv, Ukraine, resulted in hundreds of apartments losing heat for two days. Researchers suggested a Russian origin for the hackers, though attribution wasn’t confirmed.
Previously, Russia was held responsible for significant cyberattacks on Ukraine’s power grid in 2015.