Authorities in Buryatia, Russia, discovered a truck-based crypto mine stealing electricity from a line meant for residential use.
The setup was hidden inside a KamAZ truck parked in the Pribaikalsky District. It was detected during a regular inspection of a 10-kilovolt power line, which supplies power to nearby homes.
Inspectors found 95 mining rigs and a mobile transformer station inside the truck. The equipment was illegally connected to the local grid.
Two individuals believed to be involved escaped in an SUV before police arrived. Their identities remain unknown.
The unauthorized mining operation used enough electricity to supply a small village. The case was reported by TASS, a Russian state news agency.
Six Crypto Mining Power Theft Cases in Buryatia in 2025
This marks the sixth electricity theft case linked to crypto mining in Buryatia since the start of 2025. Rosseti Siberia’s Buryatenergo unit confirmed the number.
The power company stated that illegal mining operations create voltage drops and overload the grid. These disruptions can cause blackouts for nearby villages.
Photos shared by Babr Mash show the KamAZ truck equipped with ventilation systems and power connections. The location was remote, making detection difficult without routine checks.
Authorities continue to monitor the region for similar setups. Energy officials said the illegal crypto mine in the truck posed risks to the local power infrastructure.
Mining Ban in Buryatia During Cold Season
Mining in Buryatia is banned from November 15 to March 15 every year. The restriction aims to prevent energy shortages during winter.
During other months, mining is allowed only in designated districts like Severo-Baikalsky and Muisky, and only for registered companies.
In December 2024, Russia extended the seasonal ban to several other regions, including Dagestan, Chechnya, and parts of eastern Ukraine under Russian control. A full mining ban was also enforced in Irkutsk in April 2025.
These restrictions target unlicensed crypto miners using subsidized electricity meant for the public. Authorities said energy demand during peak months leaves no room for unauthorized usage.
BitRiver Operates in Irkutsk Despite Wider Ban
BitRiver, a major crypto mining company in Russia, continues to operate in Irkutsk, where electricity remains affordable.
The company opened its Bratsk data center in 2019, which remains the largest crypto mining site in the region.
BitRiver’s operations are registered and permitted under current laws. Its site uses electricity from local hydroelectric sources. There is no statement from BitRiver regarding the recent truck-based crypto mine bust in Buryatia.
Federal authorities have not indicated whether further restrictions will affect legal operations like BitRiver.
Russian Hacker Group Linked to Cryptojacking Campaign
Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky identified a Russian hacking group named Librarian Ghouls, also called Rare Werewolf, involved in unauthorized crypto mining. The group uses phishing emails to infect local devices with cryptojacking malware.
Once installed, the malware disables Windows Defender and activates mining scripts between 1 am and 5 am.
The group gains remote access, steals user credentials, and adjusts system settings to optimize mining.
Hundreds of Russian devices were compromised, according to Kaspersky. The hackers used fake documents to trick users into clicking infected attachments. The malware runs silently and avoids detection by using idle hours.
The cryptojacking campaign highlights a growing issue of energy misuse in both physical and digital forms.
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