Smirnov Andrei

Main article: Russian hackers

Biography

2025: Sentence - 16 years in prison for treason and cyber attacks

The Kemerovo Regional Court sentenced hacker Andrei Smirnov to 16 years in prison in a maximum security colony for computer attacks on Russian companies and high treason. The court also ordered the convict to pay a fine of ₽100 thousand. This was reported in the prosecutor's office of Kuzbass in July 2025.

According to Kommersant, the verdict was passed under two articles of the Criminal Code of Russia - 275 of the Criminal Code "High treason" and 273 of the Criminal Code "Creation, use and distribution of malicious computer programs." The trial took place in a closed mode for the media.

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Фото: Prosecutor's Office of the Kemerovo Region

Andrei Smirnov lived in the mining city of Belovo, Kemerovo Region and shared a pro-Ukrainian position. In 2022, the accused used malicious computer programs to carry out hacker attacks on the Internet resources of Russian companies, blocking their work.

The prosecutor's office found that Smirnov purposefully violated the functioning of information systems of domestic enterprises. Computer attacks led to the temporary unavailability of corporate sites and disruption of the business processes of affected organizations.

The Center for Public Relations of the FSB of Russia in October 2023 announced the detention of a resident of Belovo in the case of high treason. The suspect through the messenger established a connection with the Ukrainian cyber unit operating in the interests of the intelligence services of Ukraine.

As part of this formation, Smirnov carried out computer attacks using malicious software on Russian information resources. The hacker's activities were coordinated by representatives of the Ukrainian special services through secure communication channels.^[1]

2026: Entry into force of the verdict, new details of the case

The Kemerovo Regional Court convicted Russian citizen Andrei Smirnov for carrying out cyber attacks on the instructions of the Ukrainian special services. The convict was sentenced to 16 years in prison in a colony, a fine of 100 thousand rubles and restriction of liberty for one year after his release. The verdict came into force, the Center for Public Relations (DSP) said FSB Russia on February 5, 2026. AKA

The court found Andrei Smirnov, born in 1987, guilty of committing a crime under Art. 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (high treason in the form of assistance to a foreign organization). In addition, criminal cases were initiated against him under Art. 274.1 (unlawful impact on critical information infrastructure) and 273 (creation and use of malicious programs) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

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Фото: FSB DSP

According to the investigation, Smirnov joined the community of the Ukrainian organization banned in Russia in the Telegram messenger. On the instructions of the cyber division of this structure, he carried out computer attacks using malicious software on Russian information resources. These attacks led to a disruption of the country's critical information infrastructure.

On the video distributed by the FSB, Smirnov confessed. He confirmed that he received tasks and specialized software through the Telegram channel, realizing that their purpose is to cause damage to the Russian infrastructure. Among the targets of the attacks, he said, included objects of the transport system, for example, the airport.

In its message, the FSB DSP stressed that the Ukrainian special services continue to actively search the Internet and social networks for persons to commit sabotage against Russia, and warned that all such actions will be suppressed, and those responsible will be prosecuted, which provides for punishment up to life imprisonment.^[2][3][4][5]

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