Much of today’s warfare unfolds in digital silence. opposition nowadays frequently takes place in lines of code, through the exploitation of software vulnerabilities and the quiet extraction of delicate information. erstwhile classified data is stolen, it can be passed to military commanders to inform real-world operations, including precision strikes. These actions can have crucial impact – even shaping the course of a conflict specified as in Ukraine – yet the public may never know that they occurred. This shadowy form of warfare mirrors the work of the Belarusian “Cyber Partisans”, who have been waging a digital insurgency against the authoritarian government of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
The Belarusian Cyber Partisans emerged in 2020 in the wake of mass protests against president Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s widely disputed re-election. Formed by a group of anonymous tech specialists, the collective set out to exposure government repression, disrupt state surveillance systems, and undermine the safety apparatus propping up the regime, among another activities. Initially focused on leaking interior police papers and hacking government databases, their operations rapidly evolved into 1 of the most sophisticated digital opposition efforts in east Europe.
The Cyber Partisans have carried out respective high-profile cyber-attacks aimed at undermining the Lukashenka government and its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Notable operations include the 2022 hack of Belarusian Railways to disrupt Russian troop movements, a major data breach exposing KGB informants, and the sabotage of a Russian A-50 surveillance aircraft at Machulishchy air base.
Often their work overlaps with the Ukrainian opposition as well. Formed in March 2022, the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment is simply a unit within Ukraine’s armed forces made up of Belarusian volunteers. For its members, the fight against Russia is not only about defending Ukraine – it is besides a way toward the eventual liberation of Belarus. They view the collapse of the Putin government as key to ending Lukashenka’s grip on power, framing their mission as the “liberation of Belarus through the liberation of Ukraine”. The Belarusian dictator profoundly fears the Belarusian soldiers fighting in Ukraine and is doing everything he can to hunt them down and punish them.
Their digital counterpart, the IT Army of Ukraine, is besides waging a cyber war against Russia. Ted, the spokesperson for the IT Army commented that “We’re actually beautiful keen on the thought of linking up with the partisans down the line.” He added, “If there’s a chance our paths can converge – like them having a mark ripe for a DDoS or if we can bulk up their ops with our DDoS muscle, and it meshes with our goals – we’re all ears.”
While the Belarusian Cyber Partisans and Ukraine’s IT Army share a common adversary in Russia, their missions and scope disagree significantly. The Cyber Partisans operate as a digital opposition movement focused primarily on undermining the authoritarian government of Lukashenka through targeted hacks and data leaks. In contrast, Ukraine’s IT Army is simply a broader coalition, comprising thousands of volunteers from around the planet engaged in an all-out war against the Russian state. However, both sides in separate interviews indicated their willingness to work closely together if the right chance presented itself.
But why is the work of the Cyber Partisans so important? due to the fact that without continued resistance, Belarus risks being full absorbed into the Russian state – its sovereignty erased, and its people gradually Russified.
The partisan position
Yuliana Shemetovets, spokesperson for the Belarusian Cyber Partisans, emphasized the secrecy surrounding their most impactful work. “Unfortunately, our most crucial and successful hacks cannot be disclosed publicly,” she said. “For safety reasons, we must defend our ongoing access to enemy networks.”
Among the fewer publically acknowledged operations, 1 stands out for its scale and consequence. “One of the most notable was the leak of 40,000 appeals submitted through the Belarusian KGB’s website over the past 9 years,” she said. “That vulnerability affected dozens of recruited abroad agents connected to the KGB.”
Another major breach targeted critical state infrastructure. “We disrupted Grodno Azot, Belarus’s largest state-run fertilizer manufacturer. We gained access to interior cameras, papers and emails – and even infiltrated heating systems that weren’t connected to the internet.”
Despite the high-profile nature of these attacks, the Cyber Partisans’ broader mission remains consistent. “Our focus in 2025 remains the same: weakening the systems of the Belarusian and Russian regimes, and assisting investigators worldwide by providing critical data that exposes their crimes.”
Shemetovets acknowledged that the Lukashenka government has made any efforts to improve its cyber security, but fundamental weaknesses remain. “The Belarusian government has improved somewhat in cyber security, but they inactive deficiency the capacity to defend themselves effectively. They endure from a shortage of skilled professionals and face difficulties acquiring and operating the essential technology to safe their infrastructure.”
Recruiting talent has been a persistent challenge for the Cyber Partisans themselves. “We proceed to receive interest from volunteers, but the challenge lies in uncovering individuals with the right expertise who are willing to commit to the frequently monotonous and high-risk work. Many do not stay long.” While the group is open to collaboration, Shemetovets said they typically operate alone. “We collaborate with various groups erstwhile possible, but we primarily operate independently.”
Their activities have not gone unnoticed. “We are 1 of the top organizations the government is actively trying to counter and undermine – and we take that very seriously.” In December 2021, the Belarusian ultimate Court designated Supraciu – a network including the Cyber Partisans – as a terrorist movement after the group exposed questionable ties between an oligarch and the Lukashenka regime.
The Cyber Partisans leaked data revealing that the businessman Aliaksei Aleksin donated 9 luxury vehicles, including 2 Maybachs, to the government in 2018, shortly after gaining control of the country’s tobacco industry. The declaration of terrorism followed the report’s publication by OCCRP and reflects the regime’s increasing attempts to criminalize digital dissent and suppress pro-democracy activism.
Looking ahead, Shemetovets stressed the importance of global strategy and support in the region. “The geopolitical scenery remains uncertain. Unless Europe stops relying solely on the US for safety and develops a real strategy for the region, bringing change to Belarus and Russia will stay difficult. Regardless, we will proceed our work.”
How effective is the group?
According to Pascal Geenens, manager of Threat Intelligence at Radware, the Belarusian Cyber Partisans have evolved into 1 of the most sophisticated and focused hacktivist collectives in east Europe. Formed in 2020 to challenge the Lukashenka regime, the group expanded its operations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, turning their digital firepower against Russian military infrastructure and support networks.
Geenens pointed out that unlike the broad, volunteer-based IT Army of Ukraine, the Cyber Partisans are a tightly knit and anonymous group, reportedly consisting of around 30 members in 2022. “Only a fistful execute the hacks, the others deal with analysis of data. The members are anonymous, even to each other, with the exception of their spokesperson, Yuliana Semetovets,” said Geenens.
He highlighted that their operations have included disrupting Belarusian Railways to impede Russian troop movements, exposing over 40,000 KGB informants, and launching tools like a Telegram bot to identify police officers from photos. As Geenens notes, their work highlights how digital opposition is now a vital component of modern warfare. “The contributions of allies like the Belarusian Cyber Partisans underscore the importance of unity and innovation in the face of shared adversities,” he said.
“The actions of the Belarusian Cyber Partisans item the multifaceted nature of modern opposition movements. Their cyber operations service as a reminder that in today’s interconnected world, digital frontlines are as critical as physical ones.”
According to Vasileios Karagiannopoulos, an Associate prof. in cyber crime and safety at the University of Portsmouth, the Belarusian Cyber Partisans represent a modern evolution of hacktivism – merging national opposition with global relevance. “They are a very interesting modern manifestation of hacktivism,” he said, noting that their strategical media presence, coordinated operations, and usage of a named spokesperson aid amplify their impact despite the clandestine nature of their membership.
He highlights that the group’s main conceptual accomplishment has been placing the political crisis in Belarus on the global agenda. Their high-profile hacks, including the vulnerability of Belarusian secret service informants and attacks on state infrastructure, have drawn global attention to their goal of government change. “They’ve besides aided Ukraine,” he added, “first by disrupting Russian troop logistics through railway hacks and later by breaching Russian drone developer Orlan to supply intelligence to Ukrainian services.”
Over time, their operations have expanded beyond Belarus’s borders. “The collaboration between Belarus and Russia has pushed the Cyber Partisans to consider targets outside the Belarusian cyberspace,” Karagiannopoulos explained. This internationalization of their mission has elevated their visibility and relevance in the global sphere of cyber resistance.
While he stops short of comparing them to decentralized groups like Anonymous, he sees them as a structured, nation-focused collective with strong ethical roots and evolving capabilities. “They show a model of organization and tactical improvement that will be an example for future groups,” he said. In an era where hacktivism is frequently disjointed, the Cyber Partisans offer “a combination of conventional principles and modernized tactical choices” that may specify the next generation of digital resistance.
David Kirichenko is an Associate investigation Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based think tank. His work on warfare has been featured in the Atlantic Council, Center for European Policy Analysis, and The Economist, among many others. He can be found on X @DVKirichenko.
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