A Russian-speaking hacker group has claimed responsibility for a wave of cyberattacks disrupting public digital services in Norway, saying the campaign was launched in

retaliation for Oslo’s decision to renew and strengthen its military and security support for Ukraine.

The attacks, which have continued for several days, have affected online government services including MinID and Altinn, leaving parts of Norway’s digital public infrastructure struggling to cope with a sustained flood of malicious internet traffic.

Norwegian authorities have described the incident as a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, in which attackers overwhelm websites and servers with huge volumes of artificial requests, making it difficult or impossible for legitimate users to access the services.

The Russian hacker collective “Server Killers” reportedly claimed responsibility for the operation in messages published on Telegram, according to Norwegian broadcaster TV2. The group allegedly said it was declaring a form of “cyber war” on Norway because of the country’s renewed commitment to Ukraine.

The claims have not independently established the group’s precise role in the attacks, but they come at a particularly sensitive moment in Norway’s relations with Russia, as Oslo continues to position support for Ukraine as a central element of its national and European security policy.

Attack follows Støre’s Kyiv visit

The cyber campaign began shortly after Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre travelled to Kyiv alongside leaders from several Nordic and Baltic countries.

The delegation visited the Ukrainian capital on Sunday as Ukraine marked its Flag Day and held talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior officials. Their visit took place amid renewed Russian missile and drone strikes against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

Støre visited areas damaged by recent attacks and used the trip to reaffirm Norway’s long-term political, economic and military backing for Ukraine.

“The Arctic region is an increasingly important part of Europe's security environment,” Støre has said in the context of Norway’s broader security policy, while his government has repeatedly argued that Russia’s war against Ukraine has direct consequences for European security.

During his Kyiv visit, Støre described the continuing Russian attacks as a stark reminder of the pressure facing Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.

He said Ukraine was experiencing an intense period of missile and drone attacks and stressed that Norwegians should understand the scale of the daily threat facing the Ukrainian population.

Støre also reiterated Oslo’s commitment to standing alongside Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty, independence and right to determine its own future.

Norway pledges billions more to Ukraine

The Norwegian delegation’s visit was accompanied by a renewed cooperation agreement between Oslo and Kyiv.

Norway has committed substantial additional funding for Ukraine, with the government allocating around NOK 85 billion for Ukrainian support in next year’s state budget. The assistance covers both civilian and military needs as Kyiv prepares for another difficult winter amid continued attacks on energy infrastructure and other critical facilities.

Støre said the destruction he witnessed in Kyiv had reinforced Norway’s determination to continue its support.

The Norwegian government has also stressed that its Ukraine policy enjoys broad political backing at home, with support extending across party lines in Parliament and significant public support.

That commitment has increasingly made Norway a target for Russian-linked influence and cyber operations.

Government works to restore services

Norway’s Digitalisation Agency (Digdir) said on Wednesday that efforts were continuing to limit the impact of the cyberattack.

Are Kvistad of Digdir told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK that authorities had managed to restore several affected systems while continuing to work against the ongoing attack.

Officials said they had the situation under control, although some services remained vulnerable to disruption.

Norway’s national police criminal investigation unit, Kripos, has also opened an investigation into the incident.

The attacks are part of a wider pattern of disruptive cyber campaigns targeting European countries that have provided political, military or financial assistance to Ukraine. Russian-aligned hacker groups have previously claimed attacks against digital infrastructure in countries including Denmark and the United Kingdom.

While DDoS attacks generally do not involve the theft of sensitive information, they can cause significant disruption by temporarily taking essential online services offline. For governments increasingly dependent on digital platforms, even relatively short interruptions can affect large numbers of citizens and businesses.

The latest Norwegian incident therefore highlights a broader security challenge facing European governments: Russia’s war against Ukraine is being accompanied not only by military pressure on the battlefield, but also by increasingly visible attempts to disrupt the digital infrastructure of countries supporting Kyiv.

For Oslo, the timing of the attack has added a new dimension to an already deteriorating security relationship with Moscow. Norway’s government has made clear that it intends to continue supporting Ukraine despite the risks, while Norwegian authorities are now working to keep essential public services operating under sustained cyber pressure. Photo by jaydeep_, Wikimedia commmons.