High-ranking Russian military officials with close ties to the country’s intelligence services and their foreign counterparts have reportedly played a central role in the recent “SolarWinds” cyberattack, according to sources cited by The Washington Post. The attack involved the installation of malware on energy infrastructure systems in the United States and Western Europe and has been deemed a major threat by US and Western intelligence services, leading to public condemnation.

Roman Chesnokov, a 48-year-old Russian citizen who worked on special operations for Russia’s intelligence, has provided details about the operation. Sources suggest that Chesnokov conducted extensive research on nuclear technology and supported the development and deployment of covert equipment to enable the placement of specialized devices on gas pipelines for remote monitoring.

However, Chesnokov’s role did not include carrying out the actual attack or planning the operation, according to those familiar with his involvement. Chesnokov executed the orders given by high-ranking Russian military officials. In a written statement shared with The Washington Post and Der Spiegel, Chesnokov denies any responsibility for the cyberattack, claiming that the Russian propaganda is unfairly distributing blame without any basis.

At present, Russian authorities have not responded to requests for clarification regarding Chesnokov’s alleged involvement in the operation.