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In its July cover story, Wired magazine takes an in-depth look at ayears-long string of cyberattacks in Ukraine that could have global implications. It has undermined every sector including the media, military, politics and even people's homes.

Andy Greenberg, who reported the story, and Wired editor-in-chief Nicholas Thompson joined "CBS This Morning" to discuss the findings and what the implications could be for the United States.

The Russian attacks on Ukraine's power grid were extensive. In 2015, electricity was cut to nearly a quarter-million Ukrainians, and about a year later a transmission station was taken down, revealing the attacks were becoming more sophisticated.

"There's a disturbing progression happening," Greenberg said.

The reason, according to Greenberg, was Russia's desire to destabilize Ukraine. What he finds even more worrisome, though, is that the Russians seem to be using Ukraine as a place to test-run their methods.

"The really disturbing thing is that they're also using Ukraine as a testing ground for attacks that they're honing to possibly use against Western Europe or the United States in the future," Greenberg said.

Thompson said they saw the hacks happening and decided to send Greenberg on a reporting trip to Ukraine, knowing it would likely be a scary story. But what he found was even worse.

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In his new book, "Lights Out," veteran journalist Ted Koppel paints a grim picture of a paralyzing power outage in the form of an all-out cyberat...

"Andy goes to the Ukraine, he reports it. And it's actually scarier than we thought because it turns out they're not only doing all these terrible things they're not only shutting down the power grid, they're not only shutting down the railway stations. It looks like they're kind of planning to come after us," Thompson said.

According to Greenberg, U.S. power grids are more secure than Ukraine's, but the U.S. does have another type of vulnerability.

"It's probably harder to take down our grid, but it might be easier to keep it down for a longer period of time," Greenberg said.

Thompson said the aim of the Wired article is to help make the case for what the U.S. should be paying close attention to. Greenberg pointed out that Russia isn't the only one with the capabilities to carry out such attacks, but it might be the most likely.

"All of the most powerful nations in the world U.S., Russia, China probably have the ability to take down each other's power grids and infrastructure, but the scary thing is that Russia is brazen enough to actually do these things," Greenberg said. "There's a kind of boldness in the Putin regime that should scare everyone."

In the article, Greenberg makes the argument that despite the extent of the Ukraine attacks, Russia's capabilities could have allowed them to do even more damage.

"In the second of these two power grid attacks, they only took the power down for one hour but they used an incredibly sophisticated, new piece of malicious software that automated the whole attack," Greenberg explained. What does that mean? "They have a reusable, adaptable weapon that they're going to want to use again," he said.

Asked whether the responsibility for addressing the threat falls more to the government or the private sector, Thompson said it requires the cooperation of both. "If you work at a power grid you can't just rely on the federal government."

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Was Russian hacking of Ukraine's power grid a test run for U.S. ... - CBS News

MENA, Ukraine | The newspaper in this northeastern Ukrainian city, about 35 miles from the Russian border, is named Nashe Slovo, which means Our Word in Ukrainian.

We journalists naturally focus on the word part of that, but in Mena, now, the issue is the definition of our. Who really owns or controls the words?

Does that plural possessive refer to the people of Mena, or the staff of the newspaper, or the official owners, or elected officials?

The answer makes you think about why you trust your own Florida Times-Union and understand why two of us came to Ukraine as volunteers to help the newspaper as it earns its independence and, hopefully, survival.

When Nashe Slovo was founded in 1931 during the Soviet era, nashe meant the local commissars or bureaucrats who controlled every word and naturally used it for propaganda Pravda on the local level.

When Ukraine declared its independence from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1991, the new constitution provided that such newspapers would be owned by three co-founders: the district administrator (delegated from the president of Ukraine), the elected district council (like a county commission) and the staff of the newspaper.

You can imagine how well that worked. Oleksandr Nazarenko, chief editor of Nashe Slovo, acknowledged, through a translator, that newspapers tended to be propaganda instruments of the government or the state.

As democracy took root and evolved in Ukraine and the 2014 Revolution of Dignity rejected Russian ties in favor of a closer relationship with the European Union, the National Union of Journalists persuaded the Ukrainian Parliament to enact a three-year process for privatizing liberating the government-controlled press.

Oligarchs have bought control of much of the national media, causing new credibility problems, and at the district level, council members are dragging their feet as much and for as long as they can, still wielding a degree of control that politicians value.

They represent political parties, Nazarenko said, and they would like to keep, as long as possible, the printed media as an instrument of power, to help them during the next election.

But some local newspapers like Nashe Slovo are pushing ahead, trying to figure out their future on their own, without reliance on free rent and government subsidies, which can be up to 80 percent of revenue. As an early statement of independence, Nazarenko has refused the subsidy for the past 10 years but says the paper still is a little profitable.

Mena, a city of 12,000 people in an agricultural region of about 36,000, is notable for two things: historically, as the site of Nazi murders of many of its Jews and, now, as the improbable site for a popular zoo.

Nashe Slovo is the dominant source of news and information, with circulation of 7,470, reaching about half the households in the city. Its staff of 11 works in a small, 80-year-old building that, for now, continues to be rent-free. The expansive and gloriously blooming flower garden out front could be hopefully is a metaphor for the newspaper.

IREX, an international nonprofit that works on democratic development around the world, invited Marc Jenkins, digital media sales director for T-U Media, and me to come here and work with the staff for three days. In August, some of them will visit and observe the T-U.

Nashe Slovo was named the best local newspaper in Ukraine in 2012, but IREX said its problems include the loss of subscribers and advertisers in a worsening economy as Ukraine remains on war footing against the Russian incursion in the east. An estimated 10,000 Ukrainians have been killed there so far.

As it faces the free market, Nashe Slovo wants to improve its local reporting, ad sales, website and management practices.

While Marc worked in one room with the advertising and business-side staff, I met with Nazarenko and the reporters on a porch. As we huddled around a laptop, I presented my definitions of local news and advice on writing styles, reader orientation and creativity. They were eager to hear, as there is very little journalism education or training available in Ukraine.

I offered the T-Us concept of being sure to include positive news alongside the negative. I was humbled at Nashe Slovos heart-wrenching example: the resettlers, or refugees, from the war zone who came to Mena with few possessions and started everything from scratch.

And when I reminded the Ukrainians of journalisms primal goal of the pursuit of truth, I admit I was moved when they applauded. I asked if they feel freer to seek the truth since the 2014 revolution, and Nazarenko answered Tak. Yes. Of course.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says that 19 journalists have died violently in Ukraine since independence, nine of them in the last three years, including a prominent TV and online writer who was blown up in Kiev last summer.

Things are changing, said Ivan Petrykey, 32, who trained as a lawyer before he became a Nashe Slovo reporter. Journalists are getting more protection. But in Ukraine, its still risky to be a journalist.

Nazarenko acknowledged that it took some strong will, courage to plunge into privatization. While Ukrainians have a strong work ethic, he said, the Soviet oppression crushed many peoples initiative and entrepreneurism. Were still optimistic, very optimistic were moving in the right direction.

Are you confident you can compete and survive in a free market? Tak.

One of the great reasons I travel is because it always makes me more appreciative of what we have: in this case, the First Amendment, a society that protects democratic functions like journalism and strong private ownership that respects our role and demands our responsibility.

The Ukrainians are coming to appreciate journalism in their own way. Marc and I were guests at a national Journalists Day celebration in Chernihiv, where the governor and mayor spoke in honor of journalists. President Petro Poroshenko issued a congratulatory statement from Kiev.

Knowing that at home President Donald Trump is calling people like me enemies of the people, I especially appreciated the statement of Andrii Parubii, speaker of the Parliament:

Journalism is one of most vital feeding roots for any democratic nation. Not only spreading the word newsmen are committed to, they above all are bearers for freedom of speech. Without this freedom, without diversity of thoughts, ideas and views, without being eager to pose things fair and balanced, democracy itself would not as such be imaginable.

Parubii noted that, in the ongoing Russian aggression, reporters are working alongside soldiers on the front lines: Our journalists have actually become the information field soldiers of noble aim to protect our right to the truth, our sovereignty. They do defend our nation with their greatest weapon with the word.

frank.denton@jacksonville.com: 904-359-4197

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The United Nations reports that deaths and injuries from the conflict in Ukraine have been rising in recent months.

The conflict has now entered its fourth year. Russian-supported separatists in eastern Ukraine are fighting forces loyal to Ukraines central government.

This week, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report on the situation.

U.N. investigators noted evidence of 193 conflict-related casualties among civilians from the middle of February to the middle of May 2017. The report says the number includes 36 deaths.

This is a 48 percent increase over the last reporting period, said High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein. He spoke to the U.N. Human Rights Council Wednesday.

Zeid noted that, The majority of these casualties resulted from shelling, explosive devices and remnants of war.

U.N. officials estimate that about 10,000 people have been killed and more than 23,500 injured since the fighting started.

Sergiy Kyslytsya, deputy minister for foreign affairs for Ukraine, confirmed the findings of the report. It noted "continuous inflow of foreign fighters and supply of ammunition and heavy weaponry from the Russian Federation into parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

The minister added that while these activities continue, there is no end to the conflict in sight.

Peace efforts have failed

Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe signed an agreement to end the fighting in September 2014. But this deal and other peace efforts have failed to end the violence.

The U.N. reports hospitals and schools in eastern Ukraine have been damaged by repeated shelling. It said shells hit the Donetsk Filtration Station and the South Donbas pumping station first, endangering safe water supply to more than one million people on both sides of the contact line.

Zeid said that both sides of the conflict were to blame for human rights violations. He added that his team has documented cases of unlawful and arbitrary detention on both sides of the contact line.

He noted reports of almost systemic use of torture and ill-treatment by the Security Service of Ukraine. Investigators were told the security service used such methods to force conflict-related detainees into making statements against their will.

Zeid said that efforts to investigate claims by victims often failed.

Sanctions to continue

The United States and European Union took steps to answer Russias takeover of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine three years ago. The U.S. government and EU ordered sanctions to punish Russian businesses and individuals.

In a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he has no plans to end the sanctions.

After the reports release, Russia expressed concerns about new cases of arbitrary and illegal detention. It also criticized the use of torture by Ukrainian security forces to obtain confessions in the Donbass region.

Ukraines Deputy Foreign Minister said the only way to improve human rights in the area is through full consolidation of the international community and pressure on Russia.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Lisa Schlein reported on this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

casualty n. someone who is killed or hurt in an accident or conflict

remnant n. usually a small part of piece of something

sanction n. an action taken by one country to make another country follow a rule or law

arbitrary adj. existing or coming about by chance

confession n. the act of admitting something

consolidation n. the process of uniting

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UN: Deaths, Injuries Rising as Ukraine Enters Fourth Year of Conflict - Voice of America

Westmeath southpaw Joe Ward is on course for his third European title in Kharkiv, Ukraine, but Antrims Brendan Irvine and Kurt Walker had to settle for bronze after losing their semi-finals yesterday.

Ward, the defending champion and No 1 seed in the light-heavy class, beat Italys Valentino Manfredonia in yesterdays 81kg semi-final on a comprehensive unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-25, 30-27).

The Rio Olympian said before the fight that if he performed, the Brazil-born Azzurri orthodox didnt have a chance. He delivered yesterday, though Manfredonia was limping after the first round from a leg injury.

Ward will now meet Russias Muslim Gadzhimagomedov who beat Croatias Damir Plantic yesterday in todays final looking to become the first Irish male boxer (Katie Taylor has won six) to claim three European titles. Facing a Russian in a major final is unlikely to phase the Irish champion, as he beat Russias Nikita Ivanov in the 2011 decider to become one of the youngest international boxers to win European gold, aged just 17.

The plan all along is to win the gold medal in the Ukraine. Thats what Im out here for. Gold is always my target, said Ward.

Meanwhile, Irvine, the No 4 seed in the flyweight class, dropped a unanimous (30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28) decision to Dean Farrell, the English orthodox impressing with his high work rate.

Irvine detonated the heavier punches in the opening two rounds, but Farrell, while missing with the first two shots of his three-punch combinations consistently found the target with the third. Irvine upped the pace in the last frame. A massive left could have changed the course of the fight, but Farrell slipped the shot en route to upgrading to silver.

Walker lost to Mykola Butsenko. The Ukrainian was awarded a 30-27 decision across the board.

The defeat means that Ireland has relinquished the European title it has held for the last four years, courtesy of Nevin in 2013 and Michael Conlan in 2015.

Ward, Irvine, Walker, and Sean McComb qualified for the World Championships in Hamburg. Germany, in August/September in Kharkiv after finishing in the top eight, but Dublin middleweight Emmet Brennan could qualify if Azerbaijans Kamran Shakhsuvarly claims gold today. Todays finals begin at 2pm Irish time.

See: Digest

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Ward on course for third European boxing title in Ukraine - Irish Examiner

"It is the hardest thing about my entire time in government to defend," the former senior Obama administration official told the Post. "I feel like we sort of choked."

The Post report details how the CIA's assessment that Putin was directly involved in a cyber campaign to disrupt and discredit the US presidential election in an effort to help Trump prompted the Obama administration to debate dozens of options for deterring or punishing Russia. Those included proposed cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure, the release of CIA-gathered material that might embarrass Putin and economic sanctions, the newspaper reported.

But President Barack Obama ultimately approved only modest measures: the expulsion of a few dozen diplomats, the closure of two Russian compounds, and narrowly targeted economic sanctions that some who designed them described as largely symbolic, the Post said. Another measure, the planting of cyberweapons in Russia's infrastructure, was still in the planning stages when Obama left office.

While some closest to Obama defend the response, saying that by late summer it was already too late to prevent troves of hacked emails from transferring to WikiLeaks and other groups, others expressed regret, the newspaper said.

Tony Blinken, Obama's former deputy national security adviser, said Friday that the administration took significant action to prevent Russia from interfering with the electoral system itself.

"We made massive efforts so they couldn't do that," Blinken told CNN's Kate Bolduan on "At This Hour." "This led to two things: President Obama issued a very stark warning to President Putin in September at the G-20 conference in China. What we saw, or thought we saw, after that, it looked like the Russians stopped their efforts. But the damage was already done."

The report, which features three-dozen high-level officials, confirms what many Democratic lawmakers already believed about Putin, Sen. Jeff Merkley said Friday on CNN's "New Day."

"Nothing like the extensive hacking effort and manipulation effort could occur without his involvement," the Oregon Democrat told CNN's Alisyn Camerota. "Now we actually know: Yes, Putin directed it."

"He had a specific goal to defeat (Democratic nominee) Hillary Clinton and that explains the huge coordinated effort from the botnets to the trolls," Merkley added.

Officials in the Post article suggested Obama struggled to find a way to respond to Putin without being so aggressive that he would be perceived as trying to influence the election in Clinton's favor -- a point Merkley echoed Friday.

"It is such a dilemma, because if he had acted aggressively, in a way that he had gone public and said, 'This is why we're doing this,' it would have been seized upon as an attempt to bias the election," Merkley said. "So, there was enormous bias in the election because of the Russians, but how do you balance that out without further damaging it? It is an extremely difficult problem."

Rep. Adam Kinzinger said Friday that he didn't find the Post report shocking.

"I think President Trump was legitimately elected by people who voted for him, but this is a very serious issue about defending democracy and our country and integrity of the election system," he told CNN's David Gregory on "New Day." "So we have to go back to countering Russia disinformation. Congress has to work with the White House to give them tools to push back. This is a very serious issue."

The Illinois Republican, who serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said Republicans must take the intelligence about Russia's involvement in the election very seriously to protect future elections.

"The reality is, in two or four years it will serve Vladimir Putin's interest to take down the Republican Party," Kinzinger said. "If we weren't upset about it, we have no right to complain in the future." Also speaking Friday morning on "New Day," White House counselor Kellyanne Conway dismissed the idea that Russia influenced the 2016 presidential election."I think it's very important to show no nexus has been proven between what Russia or any other foreign government tried to do in the actual election result," Conway said. "Really the only person making that case prominently is Hillary Clinton."

"You've got everyone saying that there is no nexus, that not a single vote was changed and we're going to stand by that," Conway added. "We know that Donald Trump won fairly and squarely 306 electoral votes. It had nothing to do with interference."

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