"Agency": Arrested in the USA, a hacker from the Russian Federation worked in "Alabuga"

      A Russian citizen, Artyom Revenksy, arrested in the USA on charges of involvement in hacking critical oil and gas infrastructure systems in several countries, including the USA and Ukraine, worked as a chief specialist in the special economic zone "Alabuga" in Tatarstan from 2021 to 2023, where after the invasion of Ukraine, the production of the Russian version of Iranian drones "Shahed" was established. This was reported by the publication "Agency," citing leaks. On Thursday, as reported by Bloomberg, the Russian national entered into a plea agreement in exchange for a recommendation for a lighter sentence. Artyom Revenksy, known in the cybercrime community by the nickname Digit, was charged by the U.S. federal prosecutor in early April with conspiracy to cause damage to protected computer systems, fraud using communication devices, and identity theft. According to the indictment, he was a member of the hacker group Sector16, linked to the Russian authorities, and participated in operations to gain access to oil and gas infrastructure systems in the USA, Ukraine, Germany, France, and Latvia. In particular, in January 2025, Sector16 allegedly gained control over oil pumps and storage tanks at one facility in Texas. Several facilities in other states were also hacked. The case materials, reported by Bloomberg and "Agency," also claim that Sector16 planned diversions against critical infrastructure in Ukraine, and Revenksy told one of his accomplices that he expected to receive 5 million rubles for cutting off electricity across Ukraine for three days. The hackers also gained access to a gas infrastructure facility in Poltava and discussed how it could be used to cause physical damage, but there is no data that such damage was actually inflicted. As "Agency" reports, citing leak data, by no later than 2021, the alleged hacker began working at "Alabuga" and by 2023 held the position of chief specialist in the analytics module of the special projects service. There is no information on whether he continued to work at "Alabuga" in subsequent years. He was detained in the USA last November, reportedly arrested in the Dominican Republic, according to his lawyer. There have been no public comments from Revenksy himself. It is worth noting that drones "Geran" are assembled on the territory of "Alabuga." For the needs of the factory, workers from various countries—India, Africa, Central Asia, and Latin America—have been recruited for many months. Local influencers or advertisements are used for this purpose. Analysts from the American "Foundation for the Defense of Democracies" directly call "Alabuga Start" a global channel for supplying effectively coerced labor for the Russian military-industrial complex. The fact that drones are produced in "Alabuga" is not hidden in Russia. The connection between the "Alabuga Polytechnic" college and the special economic zone is considered confirmed. In July 2025, a broadcast by the Russian TV channel "Zvezda" (which is affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense) reported that a serial production of "Geran" drones had been established in the SEZ "Alabuga." The TV channel showed the scale of assembly work involving college students. Subscribe to our channel on Telegram.