2 - 4 minute read
A mysterious bitcoiner has allegedly used the Bitcoin blockchain to expose hundreds of wallets believed to be controlled by Russian security agencies. According to a post shared with CoinDesk by crypto tracing firm Chainalysis, the unknown individual used a feature in how the Bitcoin blockchain documents transactions to identify 986 wallets controlled by the Foreign Military Intelligence Agency (GRU), Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), and Federal Security Service (FSB). The vigilante’s messages, written in Russian, accuse the wallets of being involved in hacking activities.
It is not yet clear if the allegations are true, and the three agencies have not yet commented on the matter. However, Chainalysis reports at least three allegedly Russian wallet addresses had been linked to Russia by third parties before, with two of them being involved in the Solarwinds attack and a third paying for servers used in Russia’s 2016 election disinformation campaign. The bitcoiner’s spending habits also suggest they were serious about their claims, as they destroyed over $300,000 worth of bitcoin while describing their allegations to the blockchain.
The allegations came just weeks before Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, adding a crypto twist to the ongoing conflict. Ukraine’s own government has used crypto to raise tens of millions of dollars for its war effort, and some of the allegedly Russian-held wallets tied up in Chainalysis’ research even sent money to Ukraine.
The allegations suggest that the addressed and any bitcoin they contain are more or less off the table, from a security standpoint. Chainalysis says the possibility that the OP_RETURN sender acquired private keys for Russian-controlled addresses also suggests that the Putin regime’s crypto operations aren’t secure.
In addition, the fact that the unknown bitcoiner was able to use the blockchain to expose these wallets raises questions about the security of cryptocurrency transactions and whether it is truly possible to maintain privacy and anonymity on the blockchain.
The Bottom Line
The news that an unknown bitcoiner has allegedly exposed hundreds of wallets believed to be controlled by Russian security agencies is significant for the cryptocurrency market. Traders should consider the potential risks and opportunities associated with this news when making decisions related to their cryptocurrency portfolios. Additionally, the news raises questions about the security of cryptocurrency transactions and the ability to maintain privacy and anonymity on the blockchain.
