The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has accused Russian special services of launching the Petya.A computer virus.
According to the SBU, the virus was masked as ransomware but was in fact devised to deliberately destabilize the socio-political situation in Ukraine.
"The virus is a cover-up for a large-scale attack targeting Ukraine. The proof of this is the absence of a true mechanism of money appropriation which is so primitive that it confirms an opinion that enrichment was not the objective," the statement reads.
The SBU suggested that the virus was expected to destroy important data and derail the work of government and private institutions in Ukraine to spread panic in society.
"The available data, including that which was received in cooperation with international antivirus companies, give reasons to believe that the attacks were carried out by the same hacking groups which in December 2016 attacked the financial system, transport and energy infrastructure in Ukraine by means of the Telebots and Blackenergy malware. This suggests the involvement of the Russian special services in the attack," it said.
Ukraine was hit by the Petya computer virus in the early hours of 27 June, which affected the country's financial system. Many banks have not restored their full capacity. Many companies and public offices were infected.
One of the sources of the infection was an update of the M.E.Doc accounting software although its developers deny involvement.