Russian hackers have completed no less than 37 digital assaults against Ukraine since the attack started, Microsoft has said in a report.

The tech giant’s researchers said digital attacks on Ukraine began a year in advance of the invasion and may have laid the groundwork for military missions.

It likewise observed that hacking and military tasks worked together, attacking on Microsoft.

While Russian forces laid siege to the city of Mariupol, Microsoft said Ukrainians began receiving emails from a Russian organisation pretending to be a Ukrainian resident, falsely accusing the government of “abandoning” its citizens.

Victor Zhora, a Ukrainian cyber-security official, said he continues to see Russian hackers target telecoms companies and energy grid operators on a daily basis, Reuters reported.

“I believe that they can organise more attacks on these sectors. We shouldn’t underestimate Russian hackers but we probably should not over-estimate their potential,” he said.

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