Norway Blames Pro-Russian Hackers for Suspected Sabotage at Dam

Norwegian police say pro-Russian hackers likely sabotaged a dam in April, remotely opening a valve for hours. The incident, linked to a cybercriminal group, marks the first confirmed attack on European water infrastructure since 2022. Officials warn such hybrid threats are rising across Europe amid tensions over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Norwegian authorities believe pro-Russian hackers were likely behind an April cyberattack on a dam that temporarily altered water flows, marking the first public confirmation since 2022 of a successful attack on European water infrastructure linked to Moscow’s allies.

The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) said the hackers accessed the dam’s remote-control system and opened a valve for about four hours, increasing water flow without posing danger to nearby areas. A three-minute video showing the dam’s control panel, along with a tag identifying a pro-Russian cybercriminal group, later surfaced on Telegram.

PST director Beate Gangås warned that cyberattacks are increasingly being used against Western nations to spread fear and instability. She explained that state actors often work through proxy groups, hacking critical infrastructure and then boasting online to demonstrate their capabilities.

The incident is part of a broader wave of hybrid threats facing Europe since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Western officials have accused Moscow and its proxies of orchestrating over 70 acts of disruption across the continent, ranging from vandalism and arson to assassination attempts. Intelligence officials say such activities are becoming increasingly violent.

Gangås issued the warning during a joint briefing with Norway’s intelligence chief, titled “Hybrid attacks against Norway: are we at war?” She cautioned that similar cyber sabotage efforts are likely to escalate in both Norway and other European nations as geopolitical tensions persist.

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The case underscores growing concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to state-backed cyber operations — and the potential for such incidents to be weaponized as tools of psychological and political warfare.