Opportunity in the midst of chaos: Russian-speaking cybercriminals grapple with sanctions and forum takedowns

This report analyzes how recent real-world events — sanctions, the Russia–Ukraine war, and law enforcement takedowns (notably HYDRA and RaidForums) — are reshaping the Russian-language cybercriminal underground, driving vendor and user migration to platforms such as Telegram, MEGA, and the newly emerged BreachForums, and potentially increasing financially-motivated cybercrime as actors adapt.