- Illegal Truck-Based Mine: Russian authorities found a KamAZ truck with 95 mining rigs stealing village power in Buryatia.
- Seasonal Mining Ban: Crypto mining is banned in parts of Russia during peak energy months to conserve electricity.
- Cyber Threats Rise: Hacker group “Librarian Ghouls” is running cryptojacking campaigns targeting Russian users.
Russian authorities in the Republic of Buryatia have exposed an illegal cryptocurrency mining operation that was concealed inside a KamAZ truck and powered by stolen electricity meant for a local village. The discovery took place during a routine inspection of a 10-kilovolt power line in the Pribaikalsky District, according to state news agency TASS.
Officials from Buryatenergo, a unit of Rosseti Siberia, found 95 mining rigs and a mobile transformer station inside the truck. The setup was drawing enough power to supply an entire small village, highlighting the scale of the theft. Two individuals believed to be connected to the operation fled the scene in an SUV just before police arrived.
This case marks the sixth such instance of electricity theft related to cryptocurrency mining in Buryatia since the beginning of the year. Authorities have warned that these illegal connections pose serious threats to the local power grid, causing voltage drops, overloads, and increasing the risk of blackouts for residents.
Regional and National Crackdown on Crypto Mining
Buryatia, located in eastern Siberia, is one of several regions in Russia where cryptocurrency mining is restricted due to energy limitations. Between November 15 and March 15, all mining activities are banned in most parts of Buryatia to conserve electricity during the harsh winter months. Outside of this period, only registered entities in designated areas like Severo-Baikalsky and Muisky districts are permitted to mine crypto.
The crackdown in Buryatia aligns with broader federal policies that seek to limit energy-intensive crypto mining in energy-strapped regions. In December 2024, Russian authorities announced new bans on crypto mining during peak months in areas including Dagestan, Chechnya, and parts of eastern Ukraine under Russian control. A full ban was enforced in the southern Irkutsk region beginning in April 2025.
Despite the restrictions, the Irkutsk region remains a hub for industrial-scale crypto mining due to its cheap hydroelectric power. BitRiver, a major Russian mining company, operates its largest data center in Bratsk, Irkutsk, launched in 2019.
Cybersecurity Threats Add to Crypto Challenges
In a separate development, Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has identified a hacker group known as “Librarian Ghouls” or “Rare Werewolf” as being behind a cryptojacking campaign that has compromised hundreds of Russian computers. The attackers use phishing emails disguised as legitimate documents to install malware that mines cryptocurrency without the users’ knowledge.
The malware disables Windows Defender and is programmed to run mining operations between 1 am and 5 am to avoid detection. During this time, the hackers also gain remote access, steal login credentials, and assess system capabilities to optimize mining output.
With increasing cases of both physical and cyber-based illegal crypto mining, Russian authorities are doubling down on enforcement and compliance efforts.