Microsoft has now accused “Russian government hackers” of carrying out numerous cyberattacks in Ukraine in support of Russian military operations.

He said the “infiltration” had “played a role in Russia’s war against Ukraine” and that this role was “more than the public knows.”

The researchers discovered that the digital attack, which Microsoft says began a year before Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, could “lay the groundwork for various military missions in the war -torn region. ”

Microsoft said that between February 23 and April 8, it observed a total of 37 destructive Russian cyber attacks in Ukraine.

Since the war began, Russia has been less active in cyberattacks in Ukraine than expected, scientists and analysts say.

The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a letter asking for comment.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. government publicly announced a cyberweapon known as Pipedream, designed to disrupt the industry’s control systems. Although the weapon is not associated with Russia, it is considered extremely dangerous and its discovery coincided with the conflict in Ukraine.