Ukraine accused the Russian security services on Saturday of planning and launching a massive cyberattack that locked up computers across the world.
The Ukrainian security agency, known as the SBU, alleged in a statement that similarities between the malicious software and previous attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure showed the participation of the Russian Intelligence services.
The SBU added the attackers appeared uninterested in making a profit from the ransomware programme and were more focused on sowing chaos in Ukraine. There was no immediate Russian response to the allegations. The Russian Foreign Ministry was closed for business on Saturday. Ukraine was the country hardest hit by the attack that started Tuesday, when computers at government agencies, energy companies and cash machines were temporarily disabled as their data was encrypted amid demands for ransom payments.