- German authorities have identified Daniil Shchukin, 31, as the Russian threat actor “UNKN,” a leader of the prolific ransomware groups GandCrab and REvil.
- Anatoly Kravchuk, 43, was also identified as the gang’s key developer, with both men linked to 130 ransomware incidents that caused over $40.8 million in damages in Germany.
- The operation follows an international crackdown that saw the REvil infrastructure dismantled and several of its members, including some in Russia, arrested over the last two years.
- In a 2021 interview, “UNKN” claimed humble origins, stating, “Now I am a millionaire.” after describing poverty in his youth.
Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) unmasked the leaders behind the notorious REvil ransomware gang on April 6, 2026, revealing their real-world identities. The main threat actor, known by the alias “UNKN,” has been identified as 31-year-old Russian national Daniil Maksimovich Shchukin, according to a police notice.
Shchukin reportedly acted as a visible representative for the ransomware-as-a-service operation. He was publicly reported to have advertised the malware on cybercrime forums in 2019.
Developer Anatoly Sergeevitsch Kravchuk, 43, was also added to Germany’s wanted list for his alleged technical role. The BKA suspects the pair of executing 130 attacks across the country, with 25 leading to ransom payments.
Financial damages from these incidents exceeded €35.4 million, or over $40.8 million, with €1.9 million ($2.19 million) paid directly to the criminals. An evolution of the earlier GandCrab ransomware, REvil was one of the world’s most prolific groups, targeting companies like JBS and Kaseya.
Consequently, international law enforcement dismantled its operation in late 2021. In a rare internal move, Russia’s FSB later arrested several gang members in 2022, with four receiving prison sentences in 2024.
Meanwhile, Shchukin had given an interview in March 2021, describing his journey from poverty to cybercrime wealth. “As a child, I scrounged through the trash heaps and smoked cigarette butts,” he told Recorded Future’s Dmitry Smilyanets. The now-identified mastermind concluded, “Now I am a millionaire.”
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