There’s no denying the cultural and political impact of the Russian invasion on Ukraine. A dense history reached a boiling point as Russian soldiers stepped foot onto Ukrainian ground, but this is a war that doesn’t just exist in the physical realm. It’s a political, physical, and importantly cyber war.

First it’s important to define what a cyber war is. A cyber war is a collection of cyber attacks enacted by one country or group against another. These cyber attacks can take the form of destroyed infrastructure, power grids, breached security, downed government sites, and a general loss of practical faculties. 

It can be hard to see exactly how the work of a few hackers in a different country or even across the world can cause such an impact, but it’s something that has historical precedent. Even as early as 2015, Ukraine saw electricity go down for over 230,000 people due to suspected Russian hackers. 

Hackers and cybersecurity are no longer buzz words in dramatic TV shows and science fiction films, they are now issues of national importance. This is what is at stake in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Not only soldiers' lives and physical land, but the technology underpinning everyday citizens lives and privacy. 

War is changing, and all that can be asked is the countries and citizens involved change with it. For those caught falling behind it will be no problem for a government's combined forces to rock their digital infrastructure. The long term effects of the cyber war are yet to be seen, but it’s an undeniable aspect that must now be observed and understood.