While Russian jets continue to bomb Georgian territory, Russian hackers have also attacked Georgian websites.
This has caused serious problems for Georgian news media and internet publications, including Georgian Times’ tri-lingual Internet web-page. Updated news can not be posted to the web-site, keeping a large part of the population under an information vacuum.
On the 8 of August hackers attacked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia website. Therefore, the Foreign Ministry of Georgia had to disseminate information through various news agencies. As mentioned, internet publications and news agencies were not or are not operating at full capacity either.
Internet Portal Georgia Online is publishing a special announcement with regard to the existing situation as well.
According to the announcement disseminated by the leadership of the website on 8 August: “Today they broke into and fully destroyed analytical resources of Georgia Online. Additionally, web-portal of the Legitimate Government of Abkhazia http://abkhazia.gov.ge~ was destroyed”.
The IT specialists estimate that it is possible to restore only the site of the Abkhazian Government.
According to the statement, “the analysis of the incident has indicated that they have deleted the bases and archives of the sites had highly valuable information bases”.
It is clear that Russia has declared war against Georgia not only in military terms but in its news mediums as well.
According to the management of Georgia Online, the attack to the site followed the publication of news based on an informed source that “the Kremlin has issued an order not to cite the announcements of Georgian news media” related to the developments in the Tskhinvali Region.
“At the time Georgian police forces were protecting life and security of Russian peacekeepers at the risk of their own life, Russian news media spread information about Georgian police forces undertaking targeted bombing of checkpoints of Russian peacekeepers.”
According to the announcement made by Georgia Online, “Russian news media have repeatedly been accusing Georgia Online and other media publications in Georgia (operating in the thick of events) of bias. Apparently, the Kremlin is very concerned about the professionalism of Georgian independent news media, especially given Russia’s open and direct aggression against Georgia. For the Kremlin the presence of alternative, uncontrolled news media in Georgia is unreasonable.”
