A Russian cybercriminal, Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, has been arrested in connection with the notorious LockBit and Hive ransomware operations. This development comes after he faced charges in the U.S. for his role in creating malicious software aimed at encrypting files and demanding ransom for decryption keys.

According to Russian state media, Matveev has been indicted under Article 273 of the Russian Criminal Code, which pertains to the creation and distribution of harmful computer programs. The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that the evidence has been gathered, and the case has been forwarded to court in Kaliningrad for judicial proceedings.

In May 2023, the U.S. government charged Matveev for allegedly orchestrating ransomware attacks that impacted thousands of victims domestically and globally. He is known to have operated under various online aliases, including Wazawaka, m1x, and Boriselcin.

Notably, Matveev has publicly acknowledged his criminal activities, asserting that local authorities would overlook his actions as long as he remained loyal to Russia. He has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury and has a bounty of up to $10 million for details that could lead to his capture.

Further investigations from Swiss cybersecurity firm PRODAFT indicated that Matveev led a group of penetration testers executing these ransomware attacks. Additionally, he was affiliated with multiple ransomware groups, including Conti, LockBit, Hive, Trigona, NoEscape, and held a management role within the Babuk group until early 2022. His ties with the infamous Evil Corp group are also noteworthy.

This arrest follows the recent sentencing of four members of the defunct REvil ransomware group in Russia for various cybercrimes and money laundering activities, marking a significant effort by law enforcement to combat cybercrime in the region.

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